Vulgar installation dampens Richard Marles’ ‘Geelong treaty’ day

A piece of vulgar protest art has popped up in the centre of Geelong, dampening the Defence Minister’s visit from his UK counterpart.

A piece of protest art popped up in the CBD labelling Richard Marles "Australia's biggest brown-noser" on the day of the signing of the Geelong treaty.

A piece of vulgar protest art has popped up in the centre of Geelong, coinciding with the signing of the “Geelong treaty” by Australia and the UK’s defence ministers.

On the day of the historic signing of the treaty – a historic 50-year bilateral pact to strengthen the AUKUS agreement and ensure Australia is able to acquire nuclear powered submarine capability – a piece of art labelling Richard Marles “Australia’s biggest brown-noser” appeared in front of his Yarra St office.

The installation features a large nose with fake faeces smeared around it.

A plaque sitting on the ground beneath reads: “This memorial erected by The New Radicals in honour of Australia’s biggest brown-noser Richard Marles”.

The nose itself was bolted down, while a chain was attached to the plaque.

“Only in Geelong,” one passer-by remarked.

The instillation popped up out the front of Mr Marles’ Yarra St office.

The plaque.

A piece of protest art popped up in the CBD labelling Richard Marles "Australia's biggest brown-noser" on the day of the signing of the Geelong treaty.

It is not the first time the mysterious group have struck at Mr Marles’ Yarra St office.

In December the group installed a faux submarine labelled the “HMAS Richard”.

The group posted a video to social media of two men dressed in Santa costumes installing the vessel.

Mr Marles and UK Secretary of Defence John Healey are set to sign the bilateral pact today.

“It will be the honour of John and I to put our signatures to this treaty in Geelong, and it will very much underpin the development of AUKUS, the building of submarines in Adelaide, and what will ultimately see Australia and the United Kingdom operate the same class of nuclear powered submarines in the future,” Mr Marles said.

Mr Healey said the treaty would support “tens of thousands of skilled, high paid jobs in both our nations”.

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Originally published as Vulgar installation dampens Richard Marles’ ‘Geelong treaty’ day