Jenny Morrison says she was disappointed with Grace Tame’s behaviour at the Lodge

Jenny Morrison says she was a little bit disappointed with the behaviour of the former Australian of the Year Grace Tame during a function at the Lodge in January, and hopes her own daughters will be "fierce" but also show "manners and respect".

The prime minister's spouse told the Nine Network on Sunday night the focus during the reception on 25 January should have been "on all the incredible people coming in" so Tame's unwillingness to smile at her hosts or for the cameras was "a little bit disappointing, because we'll welcome you in our home".

The prime minister has repeatedly declined to criticise Tame in the controversy that followed the reception on the eve of Australia Day. Tame, a survivor advocate, won last year's Australian of the Year prize after her advocacy was instrumental in overturning a Tasmanian law preventing survivors from speaking publicly about their assault.

During the function for the 2022 Australian of the Year finalists in Canberra, Tame - who had roundly criticised Morrison's suboptimal response to federal parliament's #MeToo reckoning during the previous 12 months - declined to engage in conventional niceties.

Last week, during an appearance at the National Press Club, Tame said last August she had received a "threatening" phone call from a senior member of a government-funded organisation warning her not to criticise the prime minister on the eve of last month's Australian of the Year awards because there was "an election coming soon".

In response to the allegation, the prime minister said he had not and would not authorise any such actions. The National Australia Day Council has denied having threatening conversations with Tame.

The Morrison family participated in an extended interview with the Nine Network's 60 Minutes program on Sunday night. Jenny Morrison is rarely interviewed, but she was a significant focus of the program, characterised as the prime minister's "secret weapon" in the looming federal election campaign.