Ben Carroll has become Victoria's 50th premier after a tumultuous 48 hours that saw Jacinta Allan resign and a chaotic caucus meeting. Carroll, who had hoped to rise quietly to the top job, faced heated confrontations and shouting matches during the transition.
The Leadership Change
Unlike many challengers, Carroll did not openly campaign against Allan. He agreed to stand only after a cross-factional delegation of MPs told him Allan had lost the confidence of the caucus and urged him to nominate. This allowed him to reconcile his change in position from six weeks earlier, when he told Allan he would not challenge her, saying he wanted his daughter to see a woman elected premier in her own right.
“The circumstances changed. Yesterday morning, I was approached by a delegation who asked me to stand for leader. This delegation had already visited the premier and informed her that they wanted change. I’m going to be that change,” Carroll said on Tuesday.
Allan initially refused to concede defeat. On Monday, she publicly declared she would fight for the leadership and nominated herself with the party's state secretary. She said she believed she could have won a leadership ballot but that standing aside was “the right thing” for Labor and Victorians because she was a “team player”.
Chaos in the Caucus Room
The path to Carroll's election was not smooth. Attorney general Sonya Kilkenny, one of Allan's closest allies, unexpectedly nominated for the leadership, triggering a second confrontation. Raised voices from inside the caucus meeting could be heard from parliament's hallways as MPs argued. Allan was among the 15 MPs who signed Kilkenny's nomination papers, contradicting her earlier comments about avoiding a prolonged contest. At the same time, Steve Dimopoulos challenged Carroll's preferred deputy, Gabrielle Williams.
One MP described the moves as Allan trying to “blow up the joint on her way out”, while another said colleagues were “scrambling for the scraps”. Ultimately, five minutes before the caucus meeting concluded at midday, Kilkenny withdrew her nomination. Carroll was elected unanimously, and Williams won the vote for deputy.
New Premier's First Moves
Carroll announced a royal commission into the construction sector “as soon as possible” and immediately boosted the anti-corruption watchdog's powers. This is a step Allan had refused to take, designed to confront Labor's most politically damaging issue. However, a royal commission running during an election campaign is likely to generate damaging headlines, though Allan and Andrews are expected to bear the brunt.
Carroll also sought to project fiscal restraint, noting that his first job at Kmart taught him the “value of a dollar”. “That’s why I understand why Victorians are concerned about government spending. Every dollar my government spends will be treated with respect,” he said.
He flagged plans to mend the relationship with the business community, who will watch closely to see if he maintains Allan's legislation protecting the right to work from home two days a week. His supporters say tax concessions are more likely.
Challenges Ahead
Questions remain over the future of the $34.5bn Suburban Rail Loop. Carroll, whose northern suburbs electorate does not directly benefit from the eastern section currently under way and who is understood to have privately questioned the project, has promised “more announcements” on its future. One option being canvassed is bringing forward plans for the western section between Werribee and Melbourne airport, though it’s unclear how that reconciles with his fiscal responsibility plan.
On Tuesday afternoon, MPs said they felt sad, hopeful, “gross” and like they had “[woken] up from a bad dream”. But all agreed the hard work was just beginning.
