Ben Carroll Becomes Victoria Premier After Jacinta Allan Resigns

The leadership of Victoria shifted on July 29, 2026, when Ben Carroll became Premier after Jacinta Allan resigned to avoid a planned leadership spill. Allan stepped down following reports from a cross-factional delegation of MPs that she had lost caucus confidence, a decline driven by poor polling and corruption allegations involving the government's Big Build infrastructure projects.

In his initial actions as premier, Carroll ordered a royal commission into the entire construction sector, including government oversight of the Big Build. He tasked the Department of Premier and Cabinet with developing exhaustive terms of reference covering contractors, subcontractors, labor hire, government, and unions. Carroll also noted that the $34.5 billion Suburban Rail Loop project would be reviewed by the cabinet, while emphasizing his intent to be a leader who does not break contracts.

Former Premiers Daniel Andrews and Steve Bracks both endorsed the transition. Andrews expressed confidence in Carroll's ability to win the state election in November, while Bracks described Carroll's leadership as a fresh approach.