In Melbourne, a six-week campaign of truck-mounted billboards depicting Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan as an AI-generated witch has reopened a wound that Australian public life has never fully closed. The slogan 'ditch the witch' — last heard at a rally against Prime Minister Julia Gillard fifteen years ago — has returned, prompting condemnation from the nation's highest offices and a quiet reckoning with how little the landscape for women in power has truly changed. What is being debated is not merely the vulgarity of one campaign, but whether the slow progress toward dignity in political li
The Guardian
· Jun 08, 2026
· governance
· 3 min read
High
Sourcing: Verified
Gillard, Albanese condemn sexist 'ditch the witch' campaign against Victorian premier
The campaign contributes to a hostile environment for women in public life, discouraging female political participation and normalizing gender-based abuse.
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Politics & Governance
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Bias & Framing
⚖
Article reports political condemnation of sexist billboard campaign against Victorian Premier, centering voices of Gillard and Albanese while framing misogyny as a persistent political problem.
Bias Direction
center-left
Confidence
MED
Problem-solution framing with moral authority: The article frames sexist attacks as an unacceptable societal problem by prominently featuring condemnations from high-profile political figures, establishing a clear normative stance against the behavior while positioning the speakers as moral authorities.
sexist
totally unacceptable
disgusted
toxic sewer
tired old trope
denigrate
ditch the witch
Perspective from those responsible for or defending the billboard campaign
Explanation of the campaign's stated purpose or political message
Views from political opponents of Allan who may distinguish between policy criticism and personal attacks
Context on frequency/prevalence of similar campaigns against male politicians
Geopolitical Impact
🌎
Sexist billboard campaign against Australian female politician reflects persistent misogyny in domestic politics; limited direct geopolitical impact but signals democratic health concerns.
Escalation Risk
low
Confidence
HIGH
Australia
Domestic political issue with no significant international power shifts. Demonstrates intra-party solidarity among Labor figures (Gillard, Albanese) against gender-based attacks, reinforcing center-left positioning on social issues.
Echoes 2011 'Ditch the Witch' campaign against PM Gillard; reflects recurring pattern of gendered political attacks in Anglo-democracies similar to misogynistic campaigns against female leaders in UK, US, and Canada.
Economic Lens
📈
Sexist billboard campaign against Victorian Premier triggers political condemnation; reflects broader concerns about misogyny in Australian politics and public discourse.
Market Signal
neutral
Confidence
MED
Political/Governance
Media and Communications
Advertising/Marketing
Social Services
Consumers and voters may experience increased political polarization and reduced trust in public institutions; potential chilling effect on women's participation in civic engagement and political leadership roles.
Likely to prompt discussions around advertising standards regulation, social media moderation policies, and workplace harassment/discrimination laws; may accelerate calls for stronger codes of conduct in political campaigns and media coverage standards.