The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has announced her resignation from the top job, after a tumultuous ۴۸ hours for Labor just four months out from the state election.
Allan on Monday had vowed to challenge for the leadership after a group of MPs told her she no longer had the support of caucus and urged her to stand down. The deputy premier, Ben Carroll, also confirmed he would nominate for the Labor leadership on Monday.
Allan said on Tuesday morning that Carroll would have her “unqualified support”.
The backdown leaves the path clear for Carroll to become leader unopposed, and prevents a protracted voting process including the broader Labor membership on the cusp of the state election. No byelection will be triggered by her resignation, given it is happening so close to an election.
Speculation about a leadership spill had been swirling for months, and momentum had been building before parliament rose for a winter break in June. Poor polling and Allan’s weak personal approval ratings contributed to the push, along with rising support for One Nation.
Allan’s leadership has also been dogged by allegations of wrongdoing on the Big Build, as she was the minister responsible for transport infrastructure at the time. While she has apologised for criminal conduct that’s been uncovered, she has also rejected calls for a royal commission. This is understood to have put her at odds with a number of MPs who believed the issue could not be contained without one.
Carroll is understood to be in favour of a royal commission. He has also indicated that he believes he’d be better able to resolve the pay dispute between the government and public school teachers, improve the party’s economic credentials, and do more to support businesses.
Carroll had long been touted as a potential challenger for the leadership, but has consistently ruled out doing so. As recently as June, he looked Allan in the eye and declared he would not challenge her.
Under Labor’s rules, a contested leadership triggers an election process in which both the parliamentary caucus and rank-and-file Labor members vote, and can take a full six weeks to complete.
Arriving at parliament on Tuesday morning, Carroll made only a brief statement to reporters, saying his focus was on talking to his colleagues.
Minister Steve Dimopoulos, a key supporter of Allan, refused to comment on the spill before Tuesday’s caucus meeting, but said: “I think the party has been good at sorting things out, this is what today will be.” He continued: “The premier’s always had my support but there’s a process today that will work that out.”
Former health minister Mary-Anne Thomas, who earlier this year announced she would resign at the November election, said she would not support a spill, saying Allan had “served this state with real leadership. She’s always had the people of Victoria at the heart of everything that she does.”
Energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio, another key backer of Jacinta Allan, said the premier had her full support.
The environment minister, Enver Erdogan, told reporters on Tuesday morning there was a “case for change”. “I think we know some of these issues have been aired publicly, but I think we need stronger action on crime and corruption in the state.”
Asked whether there needed to be a royal commission into allegations of corruption on Big Build construction sites, he replied: “Yes.”
More details to follow
