Former Australian of the Year and child abuse survivor Grace Tame has refused Anthony Albanese’s apology after he used the word “difficult” to describe her during an interview.

The prime minister was asked to give a one-word response to a list of high-profile people while attending the Future Victoria conference yesterday evening, with Tame and One Nation’s Pauline Hanson among the list of names.

When he was prompted to use a word to describe Tame, the PM said “difficult”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologised to 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame. (Eddie Jim)

His answer was met with swift condemnation on social media.

At the time, Tame re-shared fellow survivor Harrison James’ post on Instagram, which read: “Difficult is the misogynist’s code for a woman who won’t comply. History tends to call her ‘courageous’.”

The PM then apologised over the “misinterpretation” when asked about the backlash in Canberra, telling reporters he was referring to Tame’s difficult life.

“If there was any misinterpretation, then I certainly apologise,” Albanese said.

“She has had a difficult life and that was what I was referring to.

“What Grace Tame has done is turn that difficult experience that she had into being a strong advocate for others.”

Tame has since publicly responded to the PM’s apologetic remarks with a sharp rebuttal on Instagram.

“Dude’s quoting Scott [Morrison] now!!! “She’s had a difficult life”… Spare me the condescension, old man,” Tame wrote in a comment on Ette Media’s Instagram post.

“We all know what you meant. A badge of honour anyway. A confession that I’ve ruffled him.”

Tame has been a staunch advocate for fellow survivors in Australia. (Getty Images for Maggie Marilyn)

Greens leader Larissa Waters also criticised Albanese’s interview answer and said it was “completely unwarranted” in a social media post.

“Labelling women as difficult won’t silence us. It won’t stop us speaking truth to power. Next time try ‘unbreakable’ or ‘warrior’ or ‘fierce’, Prime Minister,” Waters said.

“Some of my best friends are ‘difficult’ women….(OK, all of them, and I love them for it!,” South Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young commented in response.

“Some of my best friends are ‘difficult’ women….(OK, all of them, and I love them for it!,” South Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young commented in response.

Albanese went on to describe Tame as a “strong and powerful advocate”. (Getty)

During his earlier remarks, Albanese went on to describe Tame as a “strong and powerful advocate” but said he opposed words she used at a pro-Palestine rally in Sydney last month.

“Now there are other issues, such as the language that Grace Tame used, that I disagree with, at the demonstration that was held in Sydney,” he added.

“That’s why it’s impossible to describe people in one word.”

In the rapid-fire interview, Albanese described former Prince Andrew as a “grub”, Hanson as “divisive”, said “best wishes” when asked to describe former opposition leader Sussan Ley and said One Nation voters as “frustrated”.