Ben Carroll wins Victorian Premier ballot after Allan steps down

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, Allan said stepping aside was a “difficult decision”.

Author

Matthew Sims
July 28, 2026

Jacinta Allan has stepped down as Victoria’s Premier, with her deputy Ben Carroll winning a caucus vote to become Premier.

The decision created a whirlwind within the Labor caucus, with Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny making a bid against Carroll for the leadership.

👋 Bowing out: Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, Allan said stepping aside was a “difficult decision”, but forcing a ballot would have wasted time and resources so close to the November 28 election.

  • “I believe I would have won,” she said.

🗯️ The fallout: Labor MPs met shortly afterwards to elect a new Premier, Deputy Premier and party leader.

  • In a surprise move, Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny nominated for the leadership, launching a heated meeting behind closed doors with votes and discussion. However, mere minutes before MPs had to enter Parliament, they emerged to announce the party had decided to elect Carroll.

  • Oakleigh MP Steve Dimopoulos and Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams contested the deputy leadership, with Williams elected.

Meet the Whitehorse councillor and government economist endorsed to run as independents in the state election

Voices of Deakin has announced its candidates in the November race in two battleground seats.

🗓️ How’d we get here? The MP for Bendigo East since 1999, Allan became Premier in September 2023 after Daniel Andrews’ resignation.

  • Speculation about her leadership intensified in June after corruption allegations emerged surrounding Victoria’s Big Build projects. 

⏭️ What’s next? With fewer than four months until the election, Labor must now try and unite behind Carroll and Williams and refocus its campaign.

  • A Newspoll released on Monday showed Labor trailing the Coalition 52 to 48 percent on a two-party-preferred basis. The Coalition led the primary vote with 31 percent, followed by Labor on 28 per cent and One Nation on 19 percent.