Grace Tame’s candid admission over viral picture

It’s been described as the world’s most awkward photo opportunity. Now Grace Tame has shed a new light on the infamous moment.

When former Prime Minister Scott Morrison posed with Grace Tame at an Australia Day function at The Lodge in February 2022 — a picture of the meeting came to be described as the world’s most awkward photo.

Now the former Australian of the Year has shed a new light the infamous moment and her mum’s reaction to it all.

Speaking to Gary Jubelin on News Corp’s I Catch Killers podcast, Ms Tame said she was simply being authentic.

“A lot of responses I got was from women realising that they didn’t have to smile anymore,” she said.

Ms Tame refused to look Mr Morrison in the eye. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Ms Tame giving the PM her famous ‘side eye’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Surprisingly, Ms Tame’s own mother was one of those particularly critical of her behaviour.

“One of the people who had a very negative reaction at the outset was my mother. And my mother has been through a lot of trauma in her own life. And some of that is mentioned in the book,” she said.

“She comes from a generation where there was a lot more suppression of things. I think just generally and it’s not just for women … a lot of the response that I got was about women realising that they didn’t have to smile anymore.

“And for me, that’s not actually what I thought. For me, it was about not playing the game and especially in the context of the experiences that I had gone through.”

For Tame, the moment was all about “not playing the game” and “bowing down to people”.

“Because I do believe that there is basic respect that everybody deserves,” she said. “No matter who you are, no matter what your background is, no matter if you’re a five-year-old kid or the king.

“Beyond that, however if people demand inflated respect and they weaponise that respect as a tool of excess control to dominate, and they seek to dominate and use it to manipulate, and really create an environment where abuse can foster or corruption can foster – that is not respect.

Ms Tame and Gary Jubelin. Picture: Supplied

“That is something entirely different. And I don’t believe in that. That’s what I was trying to communicate.”

Ms Tame has been a fierce critic of Mr Morrison and his former government’s response to allegations of sexual assault and toxic workplace culture in federal parliament, and accused the Coalition of failing to properly consult on national plans to deal with domestic and family violence.

In December 2022 during an appearance on Q&A, Ms Tame was asked about Mr Morrison’s secret acquisition of several parliamentary portfolios during his time as Prime Minister.

The former Australian of the Year did not hold back, calling Mr Morrison’s actions a “disgrace”.

“The gaslighting, the dishonesty, was another level that we witnessed,” Ms Tame said.

She then went on to compare him to the villain of Harry Potter, and also compared him to the main character of cartoon series, Family Guy.

“He wasn’t even a good enough villain – he had the ambitions of Voldemort with the brains of Peter Griffin.”

In clear contrast she has repeatedly shown her support for the current PM, Anthony Albanese.

Ms Tame poses with Anthony Albanese. Picture: Twitter/Anthony Albanese

In the podcast Ms Tame also spoken about reclaiming her power and setting boundaries after sexual abuse.

“The power has to be returned to you because anything that happens to you as a child against your will happens to you before you’ve ever had a chance to establish yourself,” she said.

“With children who have never had the opportunity to set their own boundaries often they don’t know how. Because they have had such poor boundaries. They’ve been so used to people coming along and just being able to push them around and dictate the terms.”

Ms Tame and fiance Max Heerey.

Ms Tame describes Heerey as her ‘soulmate’. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Ms Tame has had a busy few years since winning the Australian of the Year award in 2021.

In September last year she released a memoir entitled The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner.

The book was short-listed for the Nonfiction prize at the 2023 Indie Book Awards.

In January 2022 Ms Tame announced her engagement to Tasmanian Max Heerey. She has referred to him as her “biggest supporter” and “true soulmate”.

Ms Tame has also launched the Grace Tame Foundation to campaign for legislative reform and provide support to victims of sexual abuse.

Originally published as Grace Tame’s candid admission over viral picture