Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan is facing a leadership challenge after senior Labor figures from her own faction joined MPs from the Right to tell her they no longer supported her leadership and urged her to resign.
The failed intervention on Monday morning triggered a full-scale leadership contest, with Deputy Premier Ben Carroll confirming he will challenge Allan after she refused to step down.
The revolt comes just four months before Victoria heads to the polls, with Labor increasingly concerned it is on track for a heavy election defeat.
Allan had previously survived a leadership scare in June after poor polling suggested Labor was on track for electoral defeat and her personal approval ratings slumped.
At the time, Carroll publicly ruled out challenging her, dismissing the speculation and throwing his support behind the Premier.
However, the situation shifted on Monday morning when Allan wrote to the Labor Party’s state secretary, requesting preparations begin for a leadership ballot should one be required.
‘I am writing to request that you ensure Victorian Labor is prepared to conduct an election for the leadership of the state parliamentary Labor Party in the event an election is required,’ she wrote.
‘As you are aware, party rules require the state secretary to provide administrative support to ensure the effective conduct of a ballot of all eligible party members.
Factional powerbrokers within Victoria’s Labor Party on Sunday night agreed Jacinta Allan had lost the support of a majority of the caucus, according to multiple media reports
Deputy Premier Ben Carroll, from the party’s right faction, has confirmed he will challenge her for the top job
‘I also wish to formally notify you of my intention to be a candidate for the leadership of the state parliamentary Labor Party in the event that an election is required.’
It comes after multiple meetings were reportedly held over the weekend at Labor’s national conference in Adelaide to discuss concerns over Allan’s leadership.
One major focus of concern has been Allan’s handling of corruption allegations against unions on the state’s Big Build projects.
The party is worried that both the Coalition and One Nation are gaining ground in opinion polls in the state.
In the latest polling Victoria Labor had slumped behind the Coalition on a two-party preferred basis, with the Opposition claiming 56 per cent to Labor’s 44.
Its primary vote was also behind that of One Nation’s. Support for Labor in Victoria was at 23 per cent, while the Coalition was at 29 per cent and One Nation at 24 per cent.
Allan is due to present a proposal for a commission into organised crime to cabinet on Monday.
Critics claim it’s a last ditch effort to reset the agenda and claw back support.
