‘Increasingly challenging’: Charity founded by former Australian of the Year Grace Tame winds up operation

Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has announced the closure of her charity, The Grace Tame Foundation, just weeks after announcing she was out of work following controversy over a high-profile protest. The foundation’s board cited ongoing financial pressures as the reason for winding down the advocacy organisation she helped create in 2021. The Grace Tame Foundation was established to advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse and push for legal reforms. It had been praised for its role in reshaping national conversations around safeguarding children. According to the board, the organisation helped drive landmark legal reforms, push for the harmonisation of survivor identification laws across Australia, advocate for anti-grooming education, and support “hundreds of survivors seeking justice”. The board’s statement on Thursday said sustaining long-term funding had become “increasingly challenging”. “After careful consideration, the Board has made the decision to close the Foundation, with the process to be finalised in the coming weeks,” the statement read. Ms Tame, one of four board members alongside child safety expert Professor Michael Salter, lawyer Michael Bradley, and survivor Scarlett Franks, has been publicly recognised for her “fierce and uncompromising advocacy for survivors.” The Foundation’s latest filings reported equity of $129,563, with major expenses covering psychological support, salaries, recruitment, and survivor legal assistance. The charity’s closure comes amid a period of intense public scrutiny for Ms Tame. Earlier this year, she faced backlash after leading a chant of “globalise the intifada” at a pro-Palestine protest outside Sydney’s Town Hall. The comment sparked condemnation from politicians and Jewish leaders, with some calling for her Australian of the Year honour to be reviewed. Ms Tame described the resulting criticism as a “smear campaign” that caused her to lose speaking engagements and said she does not condone antisemitism, Islamophobia, or any form of hatred. Despite the controversy, the Foundation’s board emphasised the enduring impact of its work. “The mission it has championed will continue through the many survivors, advocates, and organisations working to protect children and drive reform,” the statement said.