Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pulled off a PR coup in the row over his frosty encounter with former Australian of the Year Grace Tame on Tuesday – as supporters praise him for rising above the row despite obvious tension.
Pictures of the pair’s awkward reunion at the morning tea for Australian of the Year nominees at The Lodge in Canberra went viral over Ms Tame’s brutal reaction.
The 27-year-old Tasmanian couldn’t bear to look the PM in the eye as they shook hands and made her contempt clear as she stood alongside him for a group photo.
Some supporters praised the sexual assault survivor and activist for staying true to her beliefs – but critics have furiously attacked her for the show of disrespect.
The PM’s Facebook page has now been inundated with messages of support for the Morrison, who continued to smile throughout the awkward encounter.
Australian of the Year Grace Tame (pictured right) could not disguise her contempt for Prime Minister Scott Morrison (left) when the pair reunited at the end of her year-long reign
‘Good on you PM, the current AOTY was a disgrace this morning, you won plenty out of that encounter don’t you worry,’ posted one fan.
They branded Ms Tame’s behaviour childish and praised the PM for rising above the obvious antagonism.
In a Facebook post hailing the 2022 nominees, the PM ignored Ms Tame’s snub and focused on the inspiring stories of the Australian heroes being honoured.
![The left-leaning activist couldn't even look the PM in the eye when they met at the AOTY morning tea at the Lodge in Canberra on Tuesday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/25/01/53329997-10437701-image-a-20_1643074309473.jpg)
The left-leaning activist couldn’t even look the PM in the eye when they met at the AOTY morning tea at the Lodge in Canberra on Tuesday
![Grace Tame posed uncomfortably for the group picture before walking off (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/25/23/53329993-10437701-Grace_Tame_posed_uncomfortably_for_the_group_picture_before_walk-a-13_1643152215279.jpg)
Grace Tame posed uncomfortably for the group picture before walking off (pictured)
The attached pictures from the morning tea did not include any of the encounter with Ms Tame.
‘What an absolute disgraceful performance from Miss Tame,’ said another. ‘It doesn’t matter what political stripe you are there is no place for down right rudeness at this function.
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/25/23/53372595-10441491-image-a-11_1643152847330.jpg)
![Posts backing Scott Morrison and attacking Grace Tame's behaviour attracted hundreds of likes in support on the PM's official Facebook page (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/25/23/53372579-10441491-image-a-7_1643152795740.jpg)
Posts backing Scott Morrison and attacking Grace Tame’s behaviour attracted hundreds of likes in support on the PM’s official Facebook page (pictured)
‘It was downright embarrassing to show your stance in front of our PM of Australia and his wife Jenny.’
The incident has divided public opinion, with a mixed reaction in the media.
Presenters on Ten’s The Project got into a heated row over Peter van Onselen’s column where he labelled Tame’s behaviour towards the PM ‘immature’.
But co-host Lisa Wilkinson penned a long Instagram post paying tribute to Ms Tame for ‘doing everything within your power to make sure over the last 12 months that those in charge were listening, and acting on much-needed change.’
![Grace Tame (pictured second from right with fiance Max Heerey) looked underwhelmed as she stood alongside the PM and his wife Jenny (pictured left)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/25/01/53329987-10437701-image-a-28_1643075097089.jpg)
Grace Tame (pictured second from right with fiance Max Heerey) looked underwhelmed as she stood alongside the PM and his wife Jenny (pictured left)
Ms Tame also took to Instagram in the wake of the row and joked: ‘I’m surprised they let me in’.
She also posted a meme from the popular satirical Instagram page the Betoota Advocate.
The image shows stony-faced Tame standing beside a beaming Mr Morrison with the caption: ‘Woman faces backlash for not pretending everything is okay’.
Ms Tame was later pictured with Labor leader Anthony Albanese at the 2022 ceremony, where sporting legend Dylan Alcott won this year’s award.
![Tame later joked about her frosty encounter with the PM, reposting a meme from the satirical Instagram page Betoota Advocate which captioned the reunion 'Woman faces backlash for not pretending everything is OK'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/25/23/53343425-10441491-Tame_later_joked_about_her_frosty_encounter_with_the_PM_repostin-m-5_1643152500250.jpg)
Tame later joked about her frosty encounter with the PM, reposting a meme from the satirical Instagram page Betoota Advocate which captioned the reunion ‘Woman faces backlash for not pretending everything is OK’
![Grace Tame was later pictured at the 2022 ceremony with sporting legend Dylan Alcott (pictured) who was named the latest Australian of the Year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/26/01/53372635-10441491-Grace_Tame_was_later_pictured_at_the_2022_ceremony_with_sporting-a-1_1643159367369.jpg)
Grace Tame was later pictured at the 2022 ceremony with sporting legend Dylan Alcott (pictured) who was named the latest Australian of the Year
![Grace Tame was seen posing happily with Labor leader Anthony Albanese (pictured) at Tuesday night's ceremony, just hours after giving PM Scott Morrison the cold shoulder](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/26/01/53356029-10441491-Grace_Tame_was_seen_posing_happily_with_Labor_leader_Anthony_Alb-a-2_1643159367372.jpg)
Grace Tame was seen posing happily with Labor leader Anthony Albanese (pictured) at Tuesday night’s ceremony, just hours after giving PM Scott Morrison the cold shoulder
Ms Tame has been open about her opinion on the Morrison government and Tuesday’s morning tea wasn’t the first awkward encounter she’s shared with the PM.
After her speech at last year’s Australian of the Year ceremony, she later revealed he surprise atMr Morrison’s reaction.
‘Do you know what he said to me, right after I finished that speech and we’re in front of a wall of media?’ the Tasmanian later told a podcast.
‘I s**t you not, he leaned over and right in my ear he goes, ”Well, gee, I bet it felt good to get that out”.’
![The awkwardly tense moment followed Ms Tame's outrage at remarks whispered in her ear by the PM after she was awarded the prestigious title last year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/25/23/53329999-10441491-The_awkwardly_tense_moment_followed_Ms_Tame_s_outrage_at_remarks-a-1_1643152341468.jpg)
The awkwardly tense moment followed Ms Tame’s outrage at remarks whispered in her ear by the PM after she was awarded the prestigious title last year
Soon afterwards, Ms Tame took up the cause of Brittany Higgins, a former Liberal Party staffer who was allegedly raped inside Parliament House and accused the government of covering it up.
When Mr Morrison later apologised to Ms Higgins for her experiences, citing advice from his wife and consideration of his own children, Tame hit out at him and said ‘it shouldn’t take having children to have a conscience’.
In other tweets, she accused Mr Morrison of using a speech to the Women’s Safety Summit to ‘leverage his own image’, and said of his appearance in a cricket commentary box that he used ‘well practiced dribble’ to win favourable media coverage.
She had launched her attacks on the PM before she was even in the AOTY role, taking a swipe at the government’s record on climate change hours before she was given the prestigious honour.
![Grace Tame (pictured), activist and advocate for survivors of sexual assault, received the title of the 2021 Australian of the Year and has since called for legal and social reform](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/25/23/53284471-10437701-Grace_Tame_pictured_activist_and_advocate_for_survivors_of_sexua-a-16_1643152216528.jpg)
Grace Tame (pictured), activist and advocate for survivors of sexual assault, received the title of the 2021 Australian of the Year and has since called for legal and social reform
Before the 2021 ceremony, her then-boyfriend Max Heerey posted a video on his Instagram showing Tame walking up behind Prime Minister Morrison, with the caption: ‘Creeping up like climate change’.
The Instagram story – which Tame also later shared to her own page – included an emoji of a Santa sack full of coal, and the word ‘aloha’ – in reference to Mr Morrison’s controversial trip to Hawaii last year at a time when bushfires raged across Australia.
Ms Tame was awarded Australian of the Year in 2021 for leading a campaign for a legal change that allowed sex abuse survivors to speak out.
She had been groomed and molested by her maths teachers when she was just 15-years-old.
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