Drama as Albanese is asked in Parliament to condemn Grace Tame over ‘vile antisemitic slur’ – before he quickly shuts down Question Time for the day

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has dodged a question in Parliament about whether he will publicly condemn former Australian of the Year Grace Tame over her protest chant to ‘globalise the intifada’. 

Tame sparked calls to be stripped of her prestigious gong after addressing thousands at a large protest opposing the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday evening. 

During her speech, Tame led the crowd in chanting: ‘From Gadigal to Gaza, globalise the intifada’. The word ‘intifada’ means uprising in Arabic and is used to refer to two violent incidents in Palestinian history. 

During Question Time on Tuesday, Liberal MP Melissa McIntosh, the shadow communications minister, criticised Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek for falling short of specifically condemning Tame’s comments earlier in the day.

‘A senior member of the Prime Minister’s cabinet, the Minister for Social Services and member for Sydney, today refused to specifically condemn Grace Tame’s conduct at a Sydney rally, where Tame chanted a vile anti-Semitic slur,’ McIntosh said.

‘Will the Prime Minister today show leadership, disassociate himself from these words and unequivocally condemn this disgusting display of anti-Semitism by the former Australian of the Year?’

Albanese refused, warning MPs against politicising a ‘devastating situation.’

‘We need to not continually look for political opportunities from what is a devastating situation. We need to turn the temperature down,’ Albanese replied.

Minutes later, Question Time ended for the day, with Albanese set to meet Herzog later day.  

The phrase ‘globalise the intifada’ was condemned by Jewish community leaders, who argued it invoked the violent uprisings historically associated with the term. 

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli have both pledged to ban the phrase. 

Minns described the post‑protest clashes as ‘distressing’ and backed the police response, but also condemned the use of the term at the rally.

‘You know… in the circumstances where six weeks ago we lost 15 members of the Jewish community to a hate crime, a violent terrorist uprising, that’s what the consequences of “globalise the intifada” mean, a violent uprising in Sydney’s streets.

‘I can only imagine what those families thought when they saw someone screaming it from the steps of Town Hall, the pain they would have gone through.

‘It’s not a distant memory. We’re talking about weeks ago their family members were mowed down and murdered because they were Jewish. (Grace Tame) can defend the saying – I thought it was, I thought it was terrible.’

Daily Mail Political Editor Peter van Onselen said she should be stripped of her title. 

Pauline Hanson also demanded consequences, joining others in calling for Tame to be stripped of her Australian of the Year title, claiming her remarks were incompatible with the honour. 

‘The National Australia Day Council (NADC) should revoke Grace Tame’s Australian of the Year award for bringing both the award and this nation into disrepute,’ she said. 

‘She remains an angry young lady whose rise to prominence went to her head.’

Tame’s response to the controversy so far has been to post a video of her entire speech.