‘Entitled’ moment Anthony Albanese says ‘I am the prime minister’ moments before clash with domestic violence rally organiser that left her in tears
An astonishing video has emerged of the moment Anthony Albanese allegedly told an organizer of a domestic violence rally: “I’m the Prime Minister” before breaking down in tears.
The Prime Minister’s act was captured on camera during a rally outside Parliament House in Canberra on Sunday.
The footage broadcast by ABC’s Afternoon Briefings program showed the visibly irritated Prime Minister asking rally organizer Sarah Williams: “Do you want me to speak or not?” moments before addressing the crowd in a fiery speech.
Albanese appeared to shrug during the tense exchange with Ms Williams, who had asked the crowd if they wanted the prime minister to speak.
Anthony Albanese (pictured centre) was captured on Sunday saying: ‘I am the Prime Minister’ during a tense exchange with domestic violence rally organizer Sarah Williams (pictured right).
He was heard saying, “I’m the Prime Minister!”
There are unverified reports that he then said: ‘I run this country’.
After appearing to say the short words, he stood and spoke to the crowd as Ms. Williams handed him the microphone.
Federal Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth also attended the meeting and stood next to Mr Albanese as he addressed the large crowd.
He rose to speak after Ms Williams told the crowd they had invited him to make comments at the meeting but “we didn’t get any,” the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Mr Albanese was recorded by television cameras saying: ‘No, you haven’t,’ before taking the microphone in an attempt to set the record straight.
‘[We] were told that wasn’t possible and that’s fine. I respect the organizers’ right to do that,” he told the crowd as they jeered and heckled him.
“We asked to speak, myself and Katy (Gallagher), and we were told that’s not possible.
“And that’s fine, we respect the organizers’ right to do that.”
The accusation prompted Ms Williams to say ‘that’s a lie, that’s an outright lie’ before bursting into tears.
Mr Albanese (pictured) claimed event organizers had banned him from speaking at the meeting, which Ms Williams (pictured right) said was a lie
The meeting was held by What Were You Wearing Australia, an organization that campaigns against domestic and sexual violence.
Mr Albanese refused to answer whether or not the words ‘I am the Prime Minister, I run this country’ came out of his mouth when questioned about his comments on breakfast television on Monday morning.
Sunrise host Nat Barr asked the Prime Minister if he said the words, prompting Mr Albanese to refrain from answering the pointed question.
“Well, Nat, people, including Channel Seven, were there for the recording of everything that happened. So you were all there,” he said.
“So the media was everywhere. They heard everything that was said there. The problem here is that on average every four days a woman dies at the hands of her partner.’
When pressed further by Barr’s co-host Matt Shirvington on whether he regretted making the comments, Mr Albanese referred back to the seriousness of domestic violence incidents.
“Well, you have the footage. There were television cameras and microphones everywhere yesterday. And this should not be a distraction from what is indeed a very serious issue,” he said.
Ms Williams (pictured), an advocate against domestic and sexual violence, broke down in tears as the Prime Minister addressed the crowd
Ms Williams doubled down on her comments, taking to Instagram on Sunday to say Mr Albanese told organizers he did not want to speak at the meeting.
“The Prime Minister of this country lied to his country today,” she wrote.
‘Albanese’s office made it clear that he was just walking and had no desire to talk. Myself and WWYW (What Were Your Wearing Australia) never denied him the floor. He never asked to speak.”
Williams doubled down on her criticism on Monday when she appeared on several television programs and claimed on social media that she had heard Mr Albanese say: ‘I am the Prime Minister. I run this country.’
Ms Gallagher told the ABC RN Breakfast on Monday that no formal invitation had been extended to the Government to speak at the meeting, but said she wanted to speak.
“It was a meeting in my hometown and I thought that was appropriate, but there were some concerns about the five key questions that were asked at that meeting and a commitment that they asked of us,” she said.
Ms Williams previously asked Mr Albanese and Ms Gallagher whether they would agree to the organisation’s demands to tackle domestic violence.
These sought to declare domestic violence a national emergency, to prevent the media from publishing images of victims for 48 hours, to require mandatory victim blaming prevention training, alternative reporting options for victims, and increased funding.
Mr Albanese (pictured) has been branded a liar over comments he made at the meeting last weekend and refused to answer questions about the remarks when asked on breakfast television on Monday.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Ms Albanese for further comment.
Ms Williams has not yet received an apology from Mr Albanese or Ms Gallagher for causing her discomfort at the meeting.
She wants more consultation between the government and action groups about what is needed to tackle domestic violence.
“If he thinks I’ve done a good job, why hasn’t he reached out, why don’t we meet soon, why don’t I meet with an advisor?” said Mrs. Williams.
“It would be nice to get a response from him to actually find out what happened, to see if we can change that, because the priority is solving violence against women.”