Jacinta Allan resigns as Victorian premier ahead of leadership challenge by Ben Carroll

Jacinta Allan says she is stepping down as premier of Victoria ahead of a planned spill by her deputy, Ben Carroll. Photograph: James Ross/AAP View image in fullscreen Jacinta Allan says she is stepping down as premier of Victoria ahead of a planned spill by her deputy, Ben Carroll. Photograph: James Ross/AAP Jacinta Allan resigns as Victorian premier ahead of leadership challenge by Ben Carroll Premier announces she is stepping down from the top job ahead of expected spill, says her deputy has her ‘unqualified support’ The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan , has announced her resignation from the top job, after a tumultuous 48 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. Who is Ben Carroll, the man who wants to be Victoria’s next premier? Read more 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. Perceived inaction on Big Build corruption could see Jacinta Allan’s leadership demolished Read more 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 colleagu