Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame is facing mounting pressure to be stripped of her national honour after doubling down on controversial chants to “globalise the intifada” during a large anti-Israel protest in Sydney.
Ms Tame, who was named Australian of the Year in 2021 for her advocacy for survivors of sexual assault, led thousands of protesters in chanting the slogan at a rally held on Monday in Sydney’s CBD. The protest was attended by several political figures, including four NSW Labor MPs and a Cumberland councillor.
In the aftermath, Ms Tame shared the full text of her speech on social media, urging supporters to “keep fighting” and “keep making noise”. She rejected criticism directed at her personally, saying she was being used as a distraction from what she described as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“Politicians and the press can deflect onto me all they like, but I’m not the story,” she wrote. Ms Tame accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and claimed protesters were acting lawfully when they were met with what she described as “unprovoked police brutality”.
The chants sparked immediate condemnation from political leaders and Jewish community representatives. NSW Premier Chris Minns described the slogan as “hateful, violent rhetoric” and confirmed his government intends to move to ban the phrase, citing its historical association with violence.
The term “intifada” is widely linked to the Second Intifada in the early 2000s, a period marked by shootings and suicide bombings that killed around 1,000 Israelis. Legislation to outlaw chants such as “globalise the intifada” is expected to be introduced in NSW within weeks, while Queensland could move even sooner to ban similar slogans.
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce said Ms Tame should be stripped of her Australian of the Year title, arguing that recipients of the award carry a responsibility to promote social cohesion. Jewish leaders echoed that call, with Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council representative Arsen Ostrovsky describing her conduct as “reprehensible” and “inexcusable”.
Former Australian Jewish Association president David Adler went further, calling for an investigation into whether Ms Tame’s comments breached laws relating to incitement to violence.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stopped short of directly condemning Ms Tame when questioned in parliament, instead repeating previous calls for tensions to be lowered. His response drew criticism from the opposition, who accused the government of failing to show leadership.
Under the rules of the National Australia Day Council, Australian of the Year recipients can be stripped of their title if they are deemed to have brought the award into disrepute. Ms Tame’s representatives have been contacted for comment as the controversy continues to intensify.
