The chief executive of What Were You Wearing, the group that organized the domestic violence marches over the weekend, has criticized Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for lying and traumatizing his experience at the march.
Yesterday at the Canberra march calling for action to end violence against women, organizer Sarah Williams was visibly upset when the Prime Minister responded to her demand to declare domestic violence a national emergency.
Rally organizer Sarah Williams looks away as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at the event calling for an end to violence against women in Canberra on Sunday.Credit: AAP
Albanese began his speech at the march by saying, “Me and Katy asked to speak [Gallagher]and they told me it wasn't possible and that's fine, I respect the right of the organizers to do that.”
Williams told Seven's Sunrise this morning that Albanese “blatantly lied” when he made that comment.
“They said they didn't come to talk, they just came to walk in solidarity. I actually asked him and the office if he would talk, if he could commit. They said: 'Look, he's a bit too busy, but Katy Gallagher would love to talk,'” he said.
“He came out and said that… he asked to speak and [was] negat was really annoying. It was pretty traumatic for me though [also] for all attendees, all victim-survivors across the country. Our prime minister just lied on a national scale in front of the whole country.”
Williams said she would have a hard time trusting Albanese to make any concrete changes to address violence against women after the way he addressed the walkout.
“The fact that he left right away, he didn't stay on any of the speakers and then, you know, right away there were posts all over Instagram saying it was amazing … it wasn't not at all,” he added. she said
“I think Australia … is going to really struggle to trust our prime minister, to trust our current government. We've got an election next year, they're really going to have to regain our trust.”
