Overview
- Jacinta Allan resigned as premier and her later signing of Sonya Kilkenny’s nomination provoked internal turmoil inside Labor that led to a fresh leadership contest.
- Ben Carroll was confirmed as premier and said he will not be a replica of his predecessors while he races to sell a governing vision to voters.
- The leadership change gives Victoria its third premier this four-year term and follows repeated turnover in the opposition that included MP Moira Deeming’s resignation and Jess Wilson’s consolidation of her leadership.
- Labor’s flagship projects — the West Gate Tunnel, the Metro Rail Tunnel and a program of 12 new hospitals — are credited as major achievements but have been tarnished by allegations of corruption, billion-dollar cost blowouts, delays and secrecy.
- Rising public discontent has pushed powerbrokers to force change and polls show growing support for One Nation that could reshape the contest in November while both major parties work to rebuild credibility.