PM dismisses claims from Newcastle-based advocate that he lied about speaking arrangements at violence against women rally
The organiser of a rally against gendered violence says the Prime Minister failed to reach out to her after he took over the stage and accused her of denying him the opportunity to speak.
Anthony Albanese attended the No More rally in Canberra yesterday where he claimed that he and the Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher, had asked to speak but were told by the organisers “that wasn’t possible”.
Footage of the speech shows organiser Sarah Williams respond “that’s a lie. That’s a full out lie”, before becoming visibly distressed.
“He didn’t check in on me or anyone else,” she said.
Williams claims Albanese, Gallagher and MP Amanda Rishworth had attempted to “change the narrative” around the atmosphere at the rally through social media posts.
“He was invited to speak from me, because I wanted him to speak if he was going to commit to one of our demands,” she told 2GBs Ben Fordham.
“But he told the whole of Australia that he asked to speak and his offices, and Katy Gallaghers’ said that it would be too late of notice for him to speak.”
Williams said when she found out Albanese was attending the rally, they specifically made it very clear they didn’t want to speak but walk in solidarity.
“So when he got up there you could see my reaction was …. ‘what in the world’,” she said.
Williams said she had asked Albanese and Gallagher to commit to five key demands but they were unable to reach an agreement.
