A billboard campaign depicting Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan as a witch has sparked condemnation and renewed calls to lift the tone of political debate in the state. The imagery drew reactions from across the political spectrum.
According to the account of the campaign, the owner of a Melbourne brothel known as Gotham City helped fund the latest ad campaign. The same venue had been the target of a drive-by shooting back in April.
The Liberal Party moved to distance itself from the billboard. A representative said it was inappropriate, arguing that such language and discourse should never be used in politics, and noting that young girls would see a Premier depicted as a witch.
Pauline Hanson took a very different approach, lashing out at the Premier rather than the billboard. She suggested Allan should toughen up, saying she herself had been tagged with such labels long before.
Jacinta Allan called out the billboard over the weekend, saying it attacks women and expressing concern about who could be targeted next. She said people can disagree on policy without denigrating others in such a personal way, and that it has to stop.
As speculation about Allan's leadership continued, Labor MPs took the opportunity to rally around the Premier, backing her calls to lift the debate. Both sides of politics have voiced fears that this year's state election will be particularly nasty.