Grace Tame Has Slammed Anthony Albanese For Taking A Chummy Pic With Alan Jones
"There are plenty of other ways to broaden your messaging without enabling known agents of sexism and abuse."
Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has slammed Anthony Albanese for posing for a photo-op with controversial media personality Alan Jones — whose problematic, racist, and misogynistic behaviour is no secret to literally anyone.
After being dumped by Rupert Murdoch last year and entering his YouTube flop era, Alan Jones — sadly — isn’t going anywhere, and has just moved to a new studio in Sydney, where opposition leader Anthony Albanese paid him a visit on Monday.
Yeah nah, this is where you could’ve just frowned and walked off. Or better yet, not done it.
There are plenty of other ways to broaden your messaging without enabling known agents of sexism and abuse.
None of us is obliged to speak to bigots.
The optics of this aren’t good.
— Grace Tame (@TamePunk) May 9, 2022
For those who may not be familiar with the kind of person Alan Jones is, he once asserted that then-PM Julia Gillard’s late father “died of shame”, was found to have “incited hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule of Lebanese Muslims” during the Cronulla riots and asserted that Scott Morrison should shove a sock down Jacinda Ardern’s throat.
Tame, who has repeatedly thrown her support behind Albanese, was quick to hold him accountable for his decision to smile for photos with such a problematic figure.
“Yeah nah, this is where you could’ve just frowned and walked off. Or better yet, not done it,” said Tame, who did just that when Scott Morrison tried to pose for photos with her. “There are plenty of other ways to broaden your messaging without enabling known agents of sexism and abuse.
“None of us is obliged to speak to bigots.
“The optics of this aren’t good.”
Tame’s now-infamous photo with Scott Morrison — in which she refused to smile — serves as a reminder of just how powerful this sort of protest can be.
Earlier this year, Tame told the National Press Club that “all Anthony would have to do is none of the things that Scott’s done,” when discussing Parliament House culture.
While it’s easy to see why Albanese would pander to the likes of Alan Jones supporters to secure an election victory, many — including Tame — have criticised the move, given just how divisive and abusive the shock-jock radio and television host has been in his career.
Many people — particularly Labor supporters — were quick to throw their support behind Tame for calling out the opposition leader’s choice.
Love ya Albo, and voted Labor today too but I’m with Grace here.
— Anna Prole 13 ✊😈💉💉💉 (@anna_prole) May 9, 2022
The photo-op comes after Alan Jones recently declared that he does not think Scott Morrison will win the federal election.
“He’s no hope,” Jones told the Daily Mail.