Prime Minister Scott Morrison and wife Jenny on 60 Minutes.
The Australian Prime Minister's wife has been criticised overnight over her comments in an interview surrounding sexual assault survivor Grace Tame and "manners".
Appearing on 60 Minutes, Jenny Morrison criticised the former Australian of the Year over a recent incident at The Lodge - the prime minister's residence in Canberra - where Tame was famously photographed during a frosty exchange with Scott Morrison.
Speaking to Karl Stefanovic for an exclusive sit-down interview alongside her Prime Minister husband, Jenny quickly admitted she wished Tame had shown "manners and respect" and was "disappointed" by the whole exchange.
"I just found it a little bit disappointing, because we were welcoming her in our home," she said.
"I just wish the focus had been on all the incredible people coming in. I respect people that want to change things, stand up for their beliefs, and are strong, but I still think there are manners and respect."
Tame is yet to comment.
In a rare interview with #60Mins, Jenny Morrison says she was left ‘disappointed’ after a tense meeting with former Australian of the Year Grace Tame in Canberra earlier this year. pic.twitter.com/V1fTFGmgaA
— 60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) February 13, 2022
Soon after Grace Tame began trending across social media and with a spike in Google searches just before midnight. "Jenny" was hot on her heels.
Support from Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes came soon after who sent "all the love to Jen and the girls tonight", but for the most part, the feedback for the PM's "secret weapon" was less than impressive.
"Grace Tame does not lack manners," said Georgie Dent, a contributing editor to Women's Agenda.
"She rejected the deeply ingrained and toxic expectation on women to smile even when they're deeply uncomfortable and she acted with integrity.
"I will be delighted if my daughters have one 100th of Grace Tame's dignity."
Former Liberal MP Julia Banks posted a note to Jenny, who she says she "met briefly".
"I know Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins. I know and have worked with Scott. I know a lot of people who work[ed ]with him.
"To Jenny (who I've met briefly) – I say 'with manners & being polite'.
"Everyone I know is disappointed in him."
It’s so subtle isn’t it, having Jenny tell us it’s about manners, so that we think Grace Tame is the problem, the uncivilised one. Yet Grace is the hero of this story & Morrison it’s villain. No amount of spin changes this. One stands for truth, the other bereft of it #60minutes
— Kon Karapanagiotidis (@Kon__K) February 13, 2022
Jenny Morrison said she wanted her daughters to grow up to be "fierce, strong, independent amazing people," but that "they can still do that and show kindness to other people and be polite and have manners".
Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP wife Jenny and 2021 Australian of the Year @TamePunk and partner @max_heerey arrive at today's morning tea function for the recipients in the 2022 Australian of the Year Awards at The Lodge in Canberra. https://t.co/o2fZW0jLh0 #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/sxLWpG6DRV
— 7NEWS Australia (@7NewsAustralia) January 25, 2022
Walkley Award-winning investigative journalist Lucie Morris-Marr slammed the response, posting after: "So Jenny Morrison says she's disappointed by Grace Tame's lack of manners. Australia is disappointed in Jenny Morrison being utterly self absorbed and hugely, woefully devoid of intelligence or sensitivity."
I know Grace Tame 💕 and Brittany Higgins 💕
— Julia Banks (@juliahbanks) February 13, 2022
I know & have worked with Scott
I know a lot of people who work[ed]with him
To Jenny (who I’ve met briefly) - I say “with manners & being polite”
Everyone I know is disappointed in him #auspol
https://t.co/jP5Sw7VESg
Scott Morrison turning to Jenny in that 60 Mins intv to answer questions about Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame is incredibly transparent and tactless. But it also discredits a lot of the work these women as well as others have made to improve politics.https://t.co/khLzInjQlq
— Julian Rizzo-Smith (@GayWeebDisaster) February 13, 2022
Who on earth advised Jenny and Scott Morrison that it would be a political master stroke to take a cheap shot at Grace Tame on #60minutes #auspol pic.twitter.com/BM1GAzYJlX
— Bagel (@underwhelmedtbh) February 13, 2022
I am actually pretty surprised how much this interview is Jenny answering for all criticisms of the Prime Minister
— Bridie Jabour (@bkjabour) February 13, 2022
Jenny Morrison criticising @TamePunk on #60minutes is an entirely calculated comment.
— Hayden O'Connor (@HaydenJOConnor) February 13, 2022
Calculated and disgusting.
Scott knows he can't criticise Grace himself so he gets his wife to do it and Channel 9 was more than happy to provide the platform.#auspol #ThisIsNotJournalism
My expectations for #60mins were on the floor and I'm shocked it was actually way worse than I expected
— Jim Malo (@thejimmalo) February 13, 2022
Jenny Morrison talks about respect and manners implying Grace Tame owed her husband some. The PM who covered up a rape then set his staff upon the victim and her partner. Respect is earned. Your husband has none. #insiders
— Mark Dickenson just never feed me after midnight! (@bugwannostra) February 12, 2022
But it wasn't just Jenny. Pedestrian's Julian Rizzo-Smith wrote: "Scott Morrison turning to Jenny in that 60 Mins interview to answer questions about Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame is incredibly transparent and tactless.
"But it also discredits a lot of the work these women as well as others have made to improve politics."
Nevertheless the interview had some nicer critics, with Derryn Hinch posting: I thought the 60 Minutes Morrison programme, featuring Jenny, was good."
Jenny Morrison is VERY likeable @60Mins
— Sophie Walsh (@sophie_walsh9) February 13, 2022
In the days follow the exchange at The Lodge in January, Tame explained her thoughts on the now viral moment. "The survival of abuse culture is dependent on submissive smiles and self-defeating surrenders," she posted on Twitter.
It is dependent on hypocrisy. My past is only relevant to the extent that I have seen - in fact I have worn - the consequences of civility for the sake of civility."
Scott Morrison previously addressed the exchange, saying he always greets guests "with a smile" when anyone enters his home.
"When Jenny and I invite someone to our home, we greet them with a smile and they're always welcome, and that day was actually about all the finalists we came to celebrate," he said in the days after the ceremony.
"I haven't raised any issues about (the incident) – all I'm saying is we were there that day to celebrate those who had done an incredible job for our country."
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