A Queensland Liberal senator has slammed 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame, calling her 'childish' after she was pictured this morning refusing to make eye contact with Scott Morrison.
James McGrath said Ms Tame should hand back her honour if she doesn't want it.
'It is a pity her behaviour and attacks on our Prime Minister are so partisan, political and childish.
'If she didn't like being Australian of the Year, she should hand back the honour,' he said.
Ms Tame could not disguise her contempt for the Prime Minister when they met today at the end of her year-long reign in the honorary position.
The left-leaning activist couldn't even look the PM in the eye when they met at the AOTY morning tea for this year's finalists at the Lodge in Canberra on Tuesday.
The ugly confrontation was branded 'childish' by Liberal Senator James McGrath on Tuesday, who added: 'The important issues raised by last year's Australian of the Year must continue to be addressed by all of us.
Australian of the Year Grace Tame (pictured right) could not disguise her contempt for Prime Minister Scott Morrison (left) when the pair reunited at the end of her year-long reign
The left-leaning activist couldn't even look the PM in the eye when they met at the AOTY morning tea at the Lodge in Canberra on Tuesday
The awkward and tense moment followed a year when Ms Tame used her platform to criticise the Morrison government and Australian society repeatedly.
Her antagonism began on the very day she was awarded the prestigious AOTY title last year, when she later expressed outrage at remarks the Prime Minister had whispered in her ear.
The 27-year-old was given the honour for leading a campaign for a legal change that allowed sex abuse survivors to speak out.
She had been groomed and molested as a schoolgirl by one of her teachers.
Having given a speech at the ceremony, she was surprised by the PM's reaction and went public with it.
'Do you know what he said to me, right after I finished that speech and we're in front of a wall of media?' the Tasmanian told a podcast.
'I s*** you not, he leaned over and right in my ear he goes, 'Well, gee, I bet it felt good to get that out'.'
Grace Tame (pictured second from right with fiance Max Heerey) looked underwhelmed as she stood alongside the PM and his wife Jenny (pictured left)
Soon afterward, Ms Tame took up the cause of Brittany Higgins, a former Liberal Party staffer who said she was sexually assaulted inside Parliament House and accused the Morrison government of covering it up.
When Mr Morrison later apologised to Ms Higgins for her experiences, citing advice from his wife and consideration of his own children, Ms Tame hit out at him and said 'it shouldn't take having children to have a conscience'.
In tweets, she accused Mr Morrison of using a speech to the Women's Safety Summit to 'leverage his own image', and said of his appearance in a cricket commentary box that he used 'well practiced dribble' to win favourable media coverage.
When the pair came face to face again on Tuesday along with this year's finalists, Ms Tame looked reluctant to even shake hands with the PM and side-eyed him as the posed for pictures.
The awkwardly tense moment followed Ms Tame's outrage at remarks whispered in her ear by the PM after she was awarded the prestigious title last year
She looked underwhelmed as she stood alongside the PM and his wife Jenny and barely responded when the PM said 'Hello Grace.'
Ms Tame replied 'G'day' and said 'Thank you' when the PM went on to congratulate her on getting engaged to fiance Max Heerey at the weekend.
But she warmed to a comment from wife Jenny, smiling at
