Jacinta Allan resigns as Victorian premier, paving way for Ben Carroll
Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan has stepped down after losing the confidence of key party members, clearing the path for Deputy Premier Ben Carroll to become Labor leader unopposed just four months before the state election.
Jacinta Allan announced her resignation as Premier of Victoria on Tuesday, ending a tumultuous 48 hours for the state Labor party just four months out from the November election. The decision came after a group of MPs told her she no longer had the support of the caucus and urged her to step down.
Allan had initially vowed on Monday to contest the leadership, but by Tuesday morning she said she would step aside, despite believing she would have won a ballot. She explained that a contested leadership would consume valuable time and resources so close to an election, and that Ben Carroll would have her "unqualified support".
Carroll, who served as deputy premier, confirmed on Monday he would nominate for the leadership. With Allan's resignation before a vote, he is set to become leader unopposed, avoiding a lengthy six-week voting process that would involve both the parliamentary caucus and rank-and-file party members.
Allan's leadership had been under pressure for months due to poor polling, weak personal approval ratings, and rising support for One Nation. Additionally, allegations of wrongdoing on the "Big Build" infrastructure projects, for which she was responsible as transport minister, dogged her tenure. While she apologized for criminal conduct uncovered, she rejected calls for a royal commission, putting her at odds with several MPs who believed the issue could not be contained without one.
Carroll is understood to favor a royal commission. He has also indicated he believes he can better resolve the pay dispute with public school teachers, improve the party's economic credentials, and support businesses more effectively.
On Tuesday morning, Carroll made a brief statement saying his focus was on talking to colleagues. Allan will chair Tuesday's caucus meeting to elect a new leader. No byelection will be triggered by her resignation given its proximity to the general election.
