‘Disgusted’: Gillard and Albanese condemn ‘ditch the witch’ campaign against Victorian premier Jacinta Allan
Gillard and Albanese condemned truck billboards targeting Victorian premier Jacinta Allan with sexist imagery and the phrase “ditch the witch.” Allan called it a secret, well-funded campaign aimed at women in politics.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
A truck-mounted billboard campaign in Melbourne has revived the “ditch the witch” insult once used against Julia Gillard, prompting condemnation from senior Labor figures. The episode has turned into a broader debate about sexism, political violence, and the treatment of women in public life.
The story says someone put mean posters on trucks to attack a woman politician, using an old insult that was once used against another female leader. It is like trying to win a game by calling names instead of playing fair.
Analysis
What happened
Truck-mounted billboards have been seen moving around Melbourne for about six weeks carrying the phrase “ditch the witch” alongside AI-generated images of Victorian premier Jacinta Allan in a black pointed hat and with warts on her chin. The ads appeared between promotions for a brothel, which added to the controversy.
Political backlash
Anthony Albanese called the campaign sexist and “totally unacceptable,” saying politics should be a contest of ideas rather than personal attacks. He also said public discourse needs to calm down, pointing to a broader rise in threats against politicians. Julia Gillard, who faced the same slogan during her time as prime minister, said she was “disgusted” to see the phrase return.
Gillard linked the attack to her own experience in office, noting that the slogan had been used against her 15 years ago and had been condemned at the time. She said progress for women in politics had improved over the years, but that the resurgence of this kind of abuse was deeply disappointing.
Allan’s response and the wider debate
Allan said sexism has no place in political debate and described the trucks as part of a secret, well-funded campaign. She argued that disagreement with her is part of democracy, but said the attack was really about women and raised the question of who would be targeted next.
The Age reported that part of the campaign was funded by Franco Puleo, owner of the Gotham City brothel in South Melbourne. He denied the slogan was sexist and defended it as reflecting public sentiment. Victorian opposition leader Jess Wilson said her side had no involvement and called the billboards inappropriate. Pauline Hanson responded dismissively, telling Allan to “suck it up,” which showed the sharp split in reactions.
Why the reference matters
The phrase is loaded in Australian politics because it recalls Gillard’s famous misogyny speech, which was triggered by the same slogan appearing behind Tony Abbott in 2011. That history gives the current campaign a clear symbolic edge: it is not just an attack on one premier, but a revival of an older and widely condemned style of political abuse.
Key points
- Truck billboards in Melbourne used the phrase “ditch the witch” and AI-generated images to target Jacinta Allan.
- Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese both condemned the campaign as sexist and unacceptable.
- Allan said the attack was part of a secret, well-funded effort and said it targeted women in politics.
- The slogan echoes the abuse Gillard faced as prime minister 15 years ago.
- The campaign has drawn mixed reactions, with some politicians condemning it and Pauline Hanson dismissing the concern.
The backlash could help draw a clear line against sexist political attacks and make it harder for campaigns like this to gain support. It may also reinforce the idea that voters should judge leaders on their decisions, not on gender-based insults.
If the campaign keeps getting attention, it could normalize more abuse against women in politics and encourage others to copy it. Albanese’s warning about rising threats suggests the tone of public debate could keep getting more dangerous.
