Jacinta Allan says Pauline Hanson ‘chooses to barrack for bullies’ over ‘ditch the witch’ billboard | Jacinta Allan
Jacinta Allan dismissed speculation about the leadership and said she would continue to speak out about “sexist, misogynistic, hateful” comments directed at her despite One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s advice to “screw this up, honey”.
On Sunday, the Victorian prime minister criticized a truck-mounted billboard that has been circulating in Melbourne for several weeks, featuring the phrase “put the witch away” alongside AI-generated images showing him wearing a black pointy hat.
Julia Gillard, Anthony Albanese and Victorian opposition leader Jess Wilson, who was exposed to this statement during her time as prime minister, also condemned the billboard.
But Hanson told Sky News on Monday morning that she had been called a witch “long before” Allan.
Later that evening he doubled down on his criticism of the prime minister, saying that, given rising crime and debt and allegations of corruption in the construction union in Victoria, “no wonder they call her a witch”.
“Stronger words could probably be used for him, but they think the sooner he goes the better,” Hanson told Sky News. “Jacinta, if the shoe fits, wear it.”
Speaking at a press conference in Melbourne on Tuesday, Allan said: “Pauline Hanson chooses to build a shed for bullies. I choose to fight them.”
Allan said the billboards consciously chose “language and visual imagery that speaks to centuries of sexism against women” and was pleased that Gillard and others were calling this out.
“Seeing Julia’s reaction, and also seeing the reaction of so many other men and women in our community, broke my heart because we have to draw the line,” Allan said.
“There’s so much division, there’s so much hate. I’m fine if people have a different view – that’s democracy – but what’s wrong is when difference is weaponized and used in a sexist, misogynistic, hateful way, and I will always speak out about that.”
Allan said he had seen reports that Labor MPs had revived talk of a possible leadership spill against him but dismissed it as “navel gazing” from unnamed sources at a time when most Victorians were focused on cost-of-living pressures.
“I am absolutely determined to see this through,” he said of his leadership, “because when the going gets tough, the tough get going, and I am fully up for the challenge.”
He added that he did not need polls to tell him that “the old rules of politics have changed”.
A Freshwater Strategy poll published for the Herald Sun on Tuesday showed Victorian Labor’s primary vote falling to 23%, compared to the Coalition’s 27% and One Nation’s 25%.
“One Nation is cannibalizing the Liberal party vote and the National party vote, and I will concede it has also taken a share of the Labor vote,” Allan said.
“We need to see this, hear this, understand this, continue to listen to Victorians, but more importantly take action to help people struggling with real oppression.”
The poll also showed that Allan’s personal popularity had fallen by five points, with his net favorability rating at minus 37 points; He was well behind Wilson, whose net positive rating was 15. Sixty-two per cent of those polled said Allan should be replaced as Labor leader before the election.
In March, Allan dismissed rumors that a similar challenge was being driven by “a few hoodlums who could use a bit of a hug”. There was also talk of a possible leak if Labor performed poorly in Victoria ahead of the 2025 federal election, but additional seats were eventually secured.
Next week the state parliament will meet for the last time before the six-week winter recess. For some in the Labor faction, this is seen as their last opportunity to challenge before the November election.
Deputy Prime Minister Ben Caroll is seen as the most likely challenger, but it remains unclear whether, as a member of Labour’s right wing, he will be able to gain enough support from the left-dominant group to unseat Allan.
Victorian Liberal MP Matthew Guy told reporters on Tuesday it didn’t matter who led Labor.
“Victorians are not looking for a change in the prime minister, they are looking for a change in government,” Guy said.
