‘Corrosive’: Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan calls out sexist ‘Ditch the Witch’ Melbourne campaign
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has condemned the increasingly “corrosive” political debate in Australia with less than six months to go before a contentious state election, after a “sexist” campaign billboard was spotted in Melbourne.
A billboard bearing the slogan “Ditch the Witch” was spotted in Melbourne’s CBD on Friday night, the Herald Sun reports.
The slogan was previously used against former prime minister Julia Gillard amid fierce debate over the carbon tax in 2011, and comes after Ms Allan was targeted with a separate, cruder slogan on a fire truck at a rally in 2025, saying “let the b****”.
Ms Allan, who took to social media to criticize the campaign on Friday, said “sexism has no police in the political debate. Full stop.”
“People have the right to disagree with me. This is democracy,” he said.
“But I do care that this is offensive to women.
“And I care who’s next.
“Political debates in this country have become acrimonious over the last few years.”
Ms Allan claimed Friday’s campaign was “part of a secret and well-funded political campaign”.
He said “once reprehensible” behavior was now “just another part of life” and claimed the media failed to address it.
“They’re reporting this as if it’s fair game, as if it’s normal. But nothing about it is normal,” Ms Allan said.
“If you don’t take a stand against this creeping culture, it has a tendency to dominate. One only has to look at America to know that.”
“I can’t stand back and allow Victoria to become a place where this kind of language is fair game against any working woman or any woman in leadership.
“If we don’t draw a line, the line will keep moving.”
Ms Allan said she wanted her children to grow up knowing that “women deserve the same respect as men”.
“I want girls to know that they should never aim lower to feel more confident,” she said.
“And I want men to know that they don’t have to put women ‘in their place’ so they can make their own way in the world. Sexism hurts everyone.”
Ms Allan, who takes over from controversial former prime minister Daniel Andrews in 2023, will face a tough fight when voters return to the polls in November amid declining popularity, debates over infrastructure and crime and rising support for One Nation.
The Bendigo MP has faced questions in recent days about the future of his leadership.
