Reading view

Jacinta Allan says Pauline Hanson ‘chooses to barrack for bullies’ over ‘ditch the witch’ billboard

By: Benita Kolovos Victorian state correspondent

9 June 2026 at 03:21

Victorian premier says she will always call out ‘misogynist’ views after One Nation leader says ‘if the shoe fits’

Jacinta Allan has dismissed leadership speculation and says she will continue to call out “sexist, misogynist, hateful” commentary directed at her, despite the One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s advice to “suck it up, sweetheart”.

On Sunday, the Victorian premier criticised a truck-mounted billboard, which has been travelling around Melbourne for several weeks, featuring AI-generated images of her wearing a black pointed hat alongside the phrase “ditch the witch”.

‘Sexist’: Gillard and Albanese condemn ‘ditch the witch’ campaign against Victorian premier

The Guardian - World news

By: Benita Kolovos and Nick Visser

8 June 2026 at 07:32

Trucks with billboards depicting phrase alongside Jacinta Allan wearing a black pointed hat have been seen around Melbourne for about six weeks

Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese have joined a chorus of politicians criticising a truck-mounted billboard featuring the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, alongside the phrase “ditch the witch”.

The billboards, which have been seen travelling around Melbourne for about six weeks, also ran AI-generated images of Allan wearing a black pointed hat and with warts on her chin, in between advertisements for a brothel.