Fiery moment Nat Barr confronts Anthony Albanese about the four words he allegedly said at women’s march – as he refuses to answer a critical question: ‘You can put it to bed now’

Nat Barr has grilled Anthony Albanese after he was branded a liar over comments he made at a rally protesting violence against women where he reportedly told the organiser: ‘I run this country’.

The Prime Minister was booed while delivering a speech at the march in Canberra on Sunday.

Organiser and advocate for domestic violence, Sarah Williams, said Mr Albanese demanded to speak at the rally, despite his office telling her he would only be walking in the march.

Footage then surfaced of Mr Albanese saying he had asked to speak but was told it was ‘not possible’.

Ms Williams claimed she was left in tears at the rally after the PM demanded to speak and told her ‘I’m the Prime Minister of this country, I run this country’.

Mr Albanese appeared on Sunrise this morning and refused to answer whether or not the words came out of his mouth.

‘So, she said, you’re on the stage with her and there was confusion about, you know, who was going to speak. And then you said behind her on the stage, words to the effect of ”I’m the Prime Minister and I run the country”. Did you just say that?‘ Barr asked.

Mr Albanese refused to answer and said he wouldn’t get into ‘that sort of debate’.

‘She’s saying that on TV, radio around today, that unfortunately is the message being sprouted. We know it’s unfortunate but you could put it to bed now?’ Barr asked again.

The Prime Minister repeatedly dodged the question and suggested the media could verify the comment themselves. 

‘Well, Nat, people, including Channel 7 were there for the recording of everything that went on. So you were all there,’ he said.

‘So, the media were all around. They heard everything that was said there. The issue here is that every four days on average a woman dies at the hands of their partner.’

Co-host Matt Shirvington then asked if Mr Albanese regretted making the comments if he did in fact say them. 

‘Well, you’ve got the footage. There were TV cameras and mics all around yesterday. And this should not be a distraction from what is a very serious issue indeed,’ Mr Albanese replied.

‘I mean, you can put it to bed now and whether it was said,’ Shirvington responded.

‘Well, I just said, you were there. Channel Seven were there. They were there on the spot, as was every other media organisation,’ replied the PM.

Ms Williams has since taken aim at the PM, saying she was told by his office ahead of the march that he wouldn’t speak but that Finance Minister Katy Gallagher would. 

However, at the rally Mr Albanese suggested he had asked organisers for permission to speak but had been knocked back.

‘We did ask to speak, myself and (Finance minister) Katy (Gallagher) and we were told that’s not possible,’ he said.

‘And that’s fine, we respect the organisers’ right to do that.’

Ms Williams interjected: ‘That’s a lie’. That’s a full out lie.’

In a post shared to her Instagram story following the rally, Ms Williams clarified Mr Albanese was never stopped from speaking.

‘He never asked to speak,’ she said.

‘For him to not only demand he speak because he was being heckled, but lie was disgraceful.

‘He demonstrated today what entitlement looks like.

‘Just because you are the Prime Minister of the country does not mean you get to use your title to scare a young woman into letting you speak.’ 

Ms Williams, who founded advocacy group for victims of sexual violence What Were You Wearing, told Sunrise the interaction with the PM was ‘upsetting’.

‘I actually asked his office if he would speak, if he could commit and they said ”Look, it’s a bit busy but Katy Gallagher would happily speak”,’ she said.

‘So him coming out and saying that he was asking to speak and was denied was really, really upsetting.’

Mr Albanese was also questioned over the interaction on The Today Show, and similarly declined to give a direct answer.

‘I’m focused on the issue,’ he told hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo.

‘It was an emotional day for people and I get that, on what is an emotional issue. Because women were saying yesterday, enough is enough.’ 

Mr Albanese has since called for an emergency national cabinet on Wednesday to address a recent surge in violence against women in Australia. 

More to come