Nat Barr has slammed Anthony Albanese after he was branded a “liar” over comments he allegedly made during a demonstration against violence against women.
The Prime Minister was booed as he delivered a speech at the march in Canberra on Sunday.
Organizer and domestic violence advocate Sarah Williams said Mr Albanese demanded to speak at the rally, despite his office telling her he would only walk in the march.
Footage then emerged of Mr Albanese saying he had asked to speak but was told it was ‘not possible’.
Ms Williams claimed she was left in tears at the meeting after the Prime Minister told her “I am the Prime Minister of this country, I govern this country.”
Nat Barr has slammed Anthony Albanese after he was branded a ‘liar’ over comments he allegedly made during a rally against violence against women
Mr Albanese appeared on Sunrise this morning and refused to answer, regardless of whether the words came out of his mouth.
“So, she said, you’re on stage with her and there was confusion about who was going to speak. And then behind her on stage you said words like: ‘I am the Prime Minister and I run the country’. Did you just say that?Barr asked.
Mr Albanese declined to answer, saying he would not get involved in “those kinds of debates”.
‘She says that unfortunately this is the message that is coming out on TV and radio today. We know it’s a shame, but can you put it to bed now?’ Barr asked again.
The Prime Minister repeatedly dodged the question and suggested that the media should be able to verify the comment for themselves.
“Well, Nat, people, including Channel 7, were there for the taping 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.’
Anthony Albanese gave a fiery speech at a rally in Canberra on Sunday (pictured) saying Australia must change its culture and attitudes to end violence against women
Ms Williams has since taken aim at the Prime Minister, saying his office told her he would not speak but that Finance Minister Katy Gallagher would.
However, at the meeting, Mr Albanese suggested he had asked organizers for permission to speak but had been pushed back.
“We asked to speak, myself and (Treasury Secretary) Katy (Gallagher) and we were told that’s not possible,” he said.
“And that’s fine, we respect the organizers’ right to do that.”
Mrs Williams interjected: “That’s a lie.”
In a message shared to her Instagram Story after the meeting, Ms. Williams clarified that Mr. Albanese was never stopped from speaking.
“He never asked to speak,” she said.
‘It was shameful that he not only demanded to speak because he was being harassed, but that he also lied.
‘Today he showed what justice looks like.
“Just because you are the prime minister of the country does not mean you can use your title to scare a young woman into letting you speak.”
Mr Albanese was also asked about the interaction on The Today Show, and also declined to give a direct answer.
“I’m focusing on the issue,” he told presenters Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo.
‘It was an emotional day for people and I understand that, when it comes to an emotional issue. Because yesterday women said: enough is enough.’
More to come