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‘Sexist’: Gillard and Albanese condemn ‘ditch the witch’ campaign against Victorian premier
TL;DR
Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese have condemned a billboard campaign against Victorian premier Jacinta Allan, featuring the phrase 'ditch the witch.' The campaign has been criticized as sexist and unacceptable in public life.
Key points
- Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese condemned a billboard campaign
- Billboard features Jacinta Allan with the phrase 'ditch the witch'
- Campaign includes AI-generated images of Allan in a negative portrayal
- Albanese called the campaign sexist and unacceptable
- The billboards have been seen in Melbourne for about six weeks
Mentioned in this story
Julia GillardAnthony AlbaneseJacinta Allan
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.
Albanese told reporters in Canberra on Monday the “sexist” advertising campaign was “totally unacceptable and has no place in public life”.
“We want to encourage women to enter public life and it should be a contest of ideas, not personal attacks,” he said.
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Speaking generally, Albanese added that there was a need to “turn the temperature down”.
“What I don’t want to do is to have a press conference in this courtyard after a tragedy,” Albanese said, citing an increased number of threats being made against politicians.
He also said some of the “personal ways” in which “mainstream media” has “characterised people in public life has just got to stop”, though he did not give specific examples.
“You can have a disagreement with people’s policy position by all means. You don’t have to denigrate people in such a personal way. It has got to stop,” Albanese said.
In a statement on social media,Gillard said she was “disgusted” to see the phrase used again after being subject to it herself during her tenure as prime minister.
“This was a slogan used against me as prime minister fifteen years ago,” she said.
“It was roundly condemned then. In the years since, my view has been that things were slowly improving for women in politics. More women are leading, sexism hasn’t gone away but it is less ferocious in the political mainstream, though social media continues to be a toxic sewer.
“I am saddened to see that improvement cast aside and this tired old trope resurrected.”
In 2011, then opposition leader Tony Abbott spoke at an anti-carbon tax rally with person holding a poster featuring the phrase “ditch the witch” visible behind him. Another poster labeled Gillard “Bob Brown’s bitch”, referencing the then leader of the Greens.
Gillard referenced the poster in her famous “misogyny speech” in Australian parliament that went viral around the world and was later voted by Guardian Australia readers as the most unforgettable moment of Australian TV history.
Q&A
What does the 'ditch the witch' billboard campaign feature?
The campaign features Jacinta Allan alongside the phrase 'ditch the witch,' with AI-generated images depicting her in a negative light.
Who criticized the billboard campaign against Jacinta Allan?
Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese are among the politicians who have criticized the billboard campaign as sexist and unacceptable.
How long has the 'ditch the witch' billboard been seen in Melbourne?
The billboard has been seen traveling around Melbourne for about six weeks.
What was Anthony Albanese's stance on the advertising campaign?
Anthony Albanese described the advertising campaign as 'totally unacceptable' and emphasized the need for public life to focus on ideas rather than personal attacks.
