Image: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese leaves after addressing a rally calling for action to end violence against women, in front of Parliament House in Canberra, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)
by LALROHLUI
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been slammed for lying on a national scale after he attended the No More rally yesterday in Canberra, where he claimed that he and the Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher, had asked to speak but had been told by organisers that it was not possible.
Footage of the speech shows rally organiser Sarah Williams from What Were You Wearing (WWYW) say, “That’s a lie. That’s a full out lie”.
In a statement posted to Instagram last night, Williams said Albanese’s office told her he was interested in walking, but not speaking.
“Myself and WWYW never denied him from speaking. He never asked to speak.”
“For him to not only demand he speak because he was being heckled, but lie was disgraceful.”
When questioned on Channel Nine’s Today Program about his alleged statement to Williams, “I’m the Prime Minister of the country, I run this country,” Albanese brushed off claims that he lied. He said it was “an emotional day” and insisted that the focus remain on combatting violence against women.
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During Williams’ 40-minute speech, she asked Albanese and Gallagher to signal thumbs up or down if they would agree to the five demands of the organisation: to declare a national emergency; to block the media from identifying victims for 48 hours, mandatory victim blaming prevention training; alternative reporting options for violence victims; and increased, more sustainable funding.
They did not respond to this request.
Albanese said during his unplanned speech at the rally, “We need to change the culture and we need to change attitudes. We need to change the legal system.”
“We need to change the approach by all governments because it is not enough to support victims, we need to focus on the perpetrators and focus on prevention.”
The prime minister’s speech was frequently interrupted by jeers, with one protestor yelling “it’s not enough” when he listed some of the actions his government had taken to address the problem, including the introduction of domestic violence payments.
Williams said, “You walked to that stage and listed your achievements to try to save yourself.”
As of April 23, 25 women have died of gender-based violence, 11 more than last year.
In 2022, 17 had women died by the same time in April, 14 in 2021 and 2020.
‘No More’ rallies took place this past weekend across Australia’s capital cities.
A national strike has been planned for May 20.
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