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As a disabled person in 2024, there’s very little ableist behaviour that can shock or surprise me, especially when it comes from those in power. But last week was an unfortunate exception.
In a video shared by the ABC, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese can be seen stopping mid-speech to address a heckling member of the opposition during Question Time.
Clearly irritated, the elected leader of this country turned towards the member of the opposition and asked a question that made my jaw drop.
“Have you got Tourette’s or something?”
His “joke” was met by appreciative hoots and raucous laughter from many others in the chamber. Apparently encouraged by the response, he smirked and added:
“You know, you sit there, and babble, babble, babble.”
“You know, you sit there, and babble, babble, babble.”
The video ended there. Apparently, the Prime Minister withdrew his comment immediately. But he shouldn’t have said it at all. My disgust and disappointment has lingered in the days since.
The most powerful person in this country used disability as the butt of a joke. His instinct, when irritated, was to fall back on a cheap and easy formula: the degradation of a marginalised group.
Language shapes the way we see the world, ourselves and others. As the elected “leader” of this country, Albanese is effectively telling anyone who might see that video that disability is an insult, a thing of which to be ashamed.
His words undermine years of work by disability advocates, who have fought to overcome the trope of disability as a source of shame and fought for us to be shown respect and granted the rights we deserve.
Admittedly, the Prime Minister apologized later that evening, telling the chamber, “…it shouldn't have happened. "I also want to apologise to all Australians who suffer from this disability, I regret saying it, it was wrong, it was insensitive and I apologise."
But his words were too little, too late. The disability community deserves better than a leader whose. Albanese’s act of reparation indicates that he recognises the error in his words.
It doesn’t, however, do anything to educate or indict the people who laughed at his “joke,” or the hundreds who have since viewed it online.
It doesn’t do anything to restore the trust of the disability community in Albanese or his government, which has let us down time and time again.
If Albanese is truly sorry, he should take this opportunity to own his mistake and lead by example. Call out the people who laughed at his “joke.” And commit to changing policies and legislation (NDIS Bill, I’m looking at you) in line with what disabled people want and need, rather than what nondisabled people decide for and about us.
I hope, at the very least, he thinks twice before saying something so derogatory in future. I doubt he’ll do even that. But I’m willing to be surprised.
So, Prime Minister, prove me wrong.
Or prove me right. Either way, myself and others like me will continue to choose our words with care, because we’re cognisant of their power. We’ll use our words to change the world.