'I stand by what I did': Grace Tame on her new memoir and 'that' ScoMo side-eye

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Grace Tame and 'that' side-eye. Photo / NCA NewsWire

Grace Tame does not hold back.

The sexual abuse survivor, advocate and 2021 Australian of the Year has been praised for her strength, tenacity and bravery.

But last year she was also labelled "rude" by some after a tense interaction with former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was captured on camera.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Jack Tame [no relation] the survivor said the former PM had shown his "true colours" a long time ago.

For her, acting with integrity and doing what's true to herself and true to the cause was not about popularity.

"Rudeness is subjective. Hypocrisy on the other hand is self-defeating.

"I did not trust him, and for me to stand there and play nice would have not only let down myself but it would have let down so many of my allies and fellow countrymen."

Grace knew a lot of people didn't agree with her stance. In that moment, she told the Newstalk ZB host, she could not think about how to please everyone and had to be true to her purpose.

"If you don't do what is right with yourself, like if you cannot go home and sit alone with yourself and be okay with yourself, that is a big problem.

"I stand by what I did."

In her newly released memoir, The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner, she untangles her experience surviving child abuse, finding the courage to speak out and stepping into the public eye.

Grace said writing the book was a means of parting ways with a certain section of her life and to honour the people, places and experiences she's gone through.

Ironically, she said, when survivors share their stories publicly in the media they are once again surrendering control and autonomy to someone else.

"Survivors are basically reliving this experience of surrendering control, they're chasing this need to retell their story on their terms constantly throughout their lives."

As well as this, Grace said she also wanted to work towards breaking down the myth that survivors have to be seen as anything other than a "normal" human being.

"Like, not defined by any experience, they're not defined by their trauma, and there's no such thing as a perfect victim."