April 30th 2024.
According to activists who fight against domestic violence, there is a strong belief that the prime minister should take responsibility for his actions during a recent rally in Canberra. The rally, known as the No More rally, took place over the weekend and was met with controversy after Anthony Albanese, the prime minister, was accused of lying about being denied the opportunity to speak at the event on Sunday.
Organiser Sarah Williams became visibly upset when the prime minister took the stage and announced that he had requested to speak but was told it was not possible. This interaction has sparked criticism from both organisers and attendees of the rally, who felt that the prime minister lacked compassion and humility in front of a vulnerable crowd, many of whom have been affected by domestic violence.
One of the coordinators of the event, Rhiannon, spoke to Ben Fordham on 2GB and shared that they had wanted the prime minister to attend, but he seemed unaware of the disconnect between his behavior and the response from the crowd. She expressed her disappointment in his body language and eye rolls, stating that he had put Sarah in a corner, which she felt was unfair. However, she also acknowledged that emotions were running high that day and understood that he may have had an emotional response.
Footage from the rally has emerged, showing the prime minister shrugging and asking Williams, "Do you want me to speak or not? I'm the prime minister." This came after Williams had asked both Albanese and Gallagher to commit to five key demands, and the audience began to heckle when they declined to do so. The tension escalated when Albanese claimed that organisers did not want him to speak, leading Williams to accuse him of lying and bursting into tears.
Rhiannon shared with 2GB that while she doesn't expect politicians to be perfect, she was critical of the prime minister's conduct. She believed that, as the leader of the country, he should be held accountable for his actions, especially in front of such a vulnerable crowd. Ethan, another attendee of the rally, also expressed surprise at the way the prime minister conducted himself and was disappointed that neither Gallagher nor Albanese checked on Williams after the incident.
When asked about his comments and behavior at the rally on ABC Radio today, Albanese responded by saying, "I hope people can see the video and draw their own conclusions." He reiterated that he was happy to not speak or to speak at the rally and that his concern lies with the issue of domestic violence. He also reminded listeners that support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT.
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