Grace Tame's cheeky 'confession' after bong photo emerges

Grace Tame has responded after a news outlet published what was claimed to be an old photo of her sitting next to a bong.

The Instagram image, reportedly from 2014, claims to shows the then 19-year-old smiling as she sits on a couch with a large water bong, typically used to smoke marijuana. A man sitting next to her seems to be rolling a joint.

The photo was published by The Daily Mail on Monday — a move that has proved to be largely unpopular.

The Daily Mail said critics delved into the former Australian of the Year’s Instagram feed and “unearthed” the image just hours after the prime minister’s wife Jenny Morrison criticised Ms Tame’s manners in a 60 Minutes interview.

Grace Tame tweets response to bong photo: 'I confess'

The image does not show Ms Tame using the bong and there is no suggestion she did. But in any case, Ms Tame doesn't seem bothered by it.

"Alright, I confess, we were doing a cover of 'April Sun in Cuba'," she tweeted on Tuesday, poking fun at the prime minister, while also sharing the photo in question.

Scott Morrison was heavily mocked last week after a clip of him playing the song April Sun In Cuba by New Zealand-Australian band Dragon on a ukulele went viral.

The moment, which viewers said was "extremely cringe", was aired in Sunday's 60 Minutes episode with the PM and his wife, Jenny Morrison as well as their two daughters, Lily and Abbey.

Aussies defend Grace Tame

Thousands of Aussies, including politicians, comedians and musicians, jumped to the defence of the childhood sexual abuse survivor after the old photo was published.

“She keeps getting better,” Ben Lee wrote on Twitter.

“It’s hard but I forgive Grace,” comedian Wil Anderson posted alongside an image of him smoking weed from a pipe.

“I am sure there is a photo of me like that. I don’t think this stuff is remotely in the public interest,” Liberal MP Dave Sharma said.

Port Phillip Deputy Mayor Tim Baxter poked fun at the photo and called for marijuana to be legalised.

“On no! Grace Tame once smoked a bong?! I’m the deputy mayor and I smoked bongs as a teenager. And I’ve still never been as cool as Grace Tame.”

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Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s son also defended the advocate.

“Going after Grace Tame for drug use is extremely risky for any LNP members under 40 especially some people in the house and senate. I’ll leave it at that. Don’t start stuff you can’t finish,” he tweeted.

Comedian and The Project host Peter Helliar said there’s a “fair chance that bong photo gets Grace Tame nominated for Australian of the Year again!”

He also retweeted an article about Snoop Dogg smoking weed before performing at the Super Bowl, joking that he blamed Ms Tame for the rapper’s behaviour.

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