Ben Carroll Becomes Victorian Premier After Jacinta Allan Resigns July 29

Ben Carroll has been sworn in as Victoria’s 50th premier after Jacinta Allan resigned on July 28, just four months before the state election. Carroll’s first act was to announce a royal commission into alleged corruption in the construction sector, plus a special prosecutor role and expanded anti-corruption powers. This reverses Allan’s refusal to establish a broader inquiry into the Building Bad scandal that cost taxpayers an estimated $15 billion.

Why Allan stepped down

Jacinta Allan faced mounting pressure over her handling of alleged criminal infiltration of government construction sites. An integrity expert estimated the corruption cost taxpayers $15 billion, though Allan disputed the figure. She had been transport infrastructure minister and then premier for nine years, overseeing Victoria’s $109 billion Big Build. When The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, 60 Minutes and The Australian Financial Review published the Building Bad investigation in July 2024, exposing outlaw motorcycle gangs, extortion, and kickbacks across major contracts, Allan’s response proved politically fatal.

Carroll’s immediate action on corruption

Carroll announced a royal commission into the construction sector as his first move as premier. He also committed to creating a special prosecutor role to work alongside the commission and bringing forward expanded powers for the state’s anti-corruption watchdog to investigate spending by private contractors. Carroll said he would grant these powers “now, this term”, whereas Allan had committed only to introducing such laws after the November election. “In my government, integrity will not be optional,” Carroll told a press conference after his swearing in.

The chaotic leadership spill

Carroll was elected unopposed after Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny unexpectedly declared herself a candidate, triggering chaos inside the Labor caucus meeting. Yelling could be heard outside the room before Labor MP Juliana Addison emerged to announce Carroll’s unanimous election. Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams was elected deputy premier. The spill came just 24 hours after Carroll said he had been approached by a delegation asking him to stand for leader, despite publicly declaring in June that he would not challenge Allan.

Carroll’s break from his predecessors

Carroll explicitly distanced himself from both Allan and former premier Daniel Andrews. “Let me make one thing very clear: I am not Daniel Andrews. I am not Jacinta Allan,” he said at his press conference. “I will do things differently because different times require a new approach.” Carroll said his government would focus on providing families with good services, giving police the support they need to fight crime, and spending every taxpayer dollar with respect. He faces the state election in November with Labor seeking to recover from the Building Bad scandal.

Final Thoughts

Carroll’s elevation signals Labor’s pivot toward accountability after the Building Bad crisis eroded public trust under Allan. With a royal commission now in motion and expanded anti-corruption powers to follow, the new premier is betting that decisive action on integrity can stabilize the party before November’s election.

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