Grace Tame’s scheduled appearance at the Melbourne Writers Festival has sparked backlash following her denial of October 7 rape incidents and her inclusion in a panel discussing “women who win”.

A program for the event scheduled from May 7 to 10 promotes “a fierce, unflinching celebration of grit, guts and glorious defiance” featuring journalist Antoinette Lattouf and Grace Tame on May 9 at the Athenaeum Theatre. The festival says: “Lattouf and Tame come together to share their experiences as women who defied expectations and shattered cultural and legal barriers”.

Tame copped backlash after told the ABC: “I’m not going to sink to the level of … entertaining any kind of propaganda,” after saying claims about sexual assault during the October 7 attacks had been “debunked”.

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She has faced widespread criticism, including calls for her to be stripped of her Australian of the Year honour, after leading chants of “globalise the intifada” at a Sydney rally in February.

Almost 40,000 have signed Rebel News’ petition to strip her of the honour and for authorities to charge her for criminal incitement to violence under existing Australian law.

Disgrace Tame at Melbourne's Jew hating festival. Who'd have thought? https://t.co/uIGAnmUgLb

— Bob Brown (@HodgsonGeo) March 19, 2026

Lattouf, who is also appearing at the festival, is promoting her new book following legal action against the ABC over unfair dismissal, with Tame featured among the women profiled in her work.

The festival description also highlights: “Lattouf and Tame come together to share their experiences as women who defied expectations and shattered cultural and legal barriers”.

Tame last week told an audience in Hobart that “this is my last presentation of the year and it’s only March”, though she has since been scheduled for further appearances.