Key Points
- Jacinta Allan announced her resignation shortly before a party room meeting that would have seen a leadership spill.
- Deputy Premier Ben Carroll had previously signalled his intention to challenge Allan for the role.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has resigned, paving the way for her deputy Ben Carroll to be elected to the top job.
The state Labor leader had vowed to fight any challenge to her leadership, but on Tuesday morning said she would step aside. The announcement came shortly before a party room meeting where she would have faced a leadership spill.
"The most important thing I want to say today is thank you," Allan said.
"Thank you to the Victorian people. It has been the honour of my life to serve you as your premier. I stepped down after 1,036 days in this role. Not one of them wasted, not one of them easy."
Carroll earlier said he would nominate for the leadership. He will be elected to the role unopposed unless other candidates step forward.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Announcing her resignation, Allan said she believed she would have won if the leadership was put to a party membership vote, as is the case when there are multiple candidates.
But she said the process, which can take several weeks, would have been damaging, particularly in the lead-up to the November election.
"More importantly, it puts the state in a position of uncertainty. That hurts the Victorian people, and I just won't do that. At the end of the day, I am, and always have been, a team player."
Allan reflected on her nearly three years as premier, saying her biggest priority had been tackling the cost of living for Victorians.
"Making life easier and more affordable became my mission," she said.
"We not only made public transport free during a fuel crisis, we made public transport free for kids forever.
"We cut car rego for three and a half million people, and we doubled food relief so families could have the dignity of a meal. And we're making working from home a right that your boss can't take away."
Allan held back tears as she spoke about women's health, reflecting on her own experience with endometriosis and nearly losing her own daughter during birth.
"I led a government that listened to girls about their health," she said.
"We opened 15 women's health clinics across the state. We've rolled out the green whistle for pain relief free of charge, and you can get the pill at the chemist without having to pay to see a GP."
Allan said she would have "absolutely relished the fight" ahead of the November election as she delivered a parting warning to her successor.
"I was more than ready. I saw off two Liberal leaders," she said.
"I expect my successor will see off the third. And if they don't, One Nation certainly will."
The looming election comes as polling suggests support for the state Labor government has collapsed in recent months.
The party had been campaigning for a fourth consecutive term against the rising popularity of One Nation.
Polling suggests voters are frustrated with the high cost of living, rising state debt, and infrastructure delays.
This is a developing story and this article will be updated.
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.
