Fake ‘machete bin’ targets Premier in latest Bendigo street art stunt

A provocative fake bin has been installed outside Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s Bendigo electorate office, in what appears to be a satirical political stunt.

Styled like an official government drop-off box, the large blue bin features chequered police tape around the base and a sign reading “Shit Premier Safe Disposal Bin”. It was placed directly outside the Premier’s Williamson Street office, where she also serves as the state member for Bendigo East.

The installation is believed to be the work of activist art collective The New Radicals, known for their bold and politically charged street art. A post shared to the group’s Instagram account referred to it as a “fake machete bin”, and described it as the latest work by “local artists striking again”.

The bin’s appearance follows a separate political protest in May, when a sealed package of cow manure was delivered to Premier Allan’s Melbourne parliamentary office in opposition to the state’s new fire services levy. That incident sparked widespread condemnation, with Allan calling the act “disgraceful” and referring the matter to the Speaker.

The Bendigo bin stunt has not yet been formally acknowledged by the Premier or her staff, and it is unclear whether the installation was placed with permission or how long it will remain in place.