{"id":826759,"date":"2026-07-27T10:42:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T10:42:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/826759\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T10:42:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T10:42:12","slug":"perceived-inaction-on-big-build-corruption-could-see-jacinta-allans-leadership-demolished-victorian-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/826759\/","title":{"rendered":"Perceived inaction on Big Build corruption could see Jacinta Allan\u2019s leadership demolished | Victorian politics"},"content":{"rendered":"

In what could be Jacinta Allan\u2019s last cabinet meeting as Victorian premier, several of her ministers turned against her.<\/p>\n

In the preceding 24 hours, factional power brokers had agreed to tell the premier that she had lost the support of Labor caucus, with a delegation of ministers and MPs asking her to stand down on Monday morning.<\/p>\n

The premier refused, instead declaring she would contest any leadership ballot. Not long after, she was informed by her deputy, Ben Carroll, that he would also nominate to replace her<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And then Allan walked into a cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n

According to sources present, the police minister, Anthony Carbines, and frontbenchers from Allan\u2019s socialist left faction \u2013 including Gabrielle Williams and Ingrid Stitt \u2013 argued that there was a need for a royal commission into allegations of corruption on the government\u2019s Big Build<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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According to those present, Carbines told the premier the plan he helped create to establish a new crime agency that could help investigate such wrongdoing would lack credibility without a royal commission.<\/p>\n

Allan responded with the same arguments she has made for months: that a trade union royal commission had already been held nationally; and that the government was already addressing the issue.<\/p>\n

Allan\u2019s response helps explain why the ministers were among the delegation that urged her to resign.<\/p>\n

There are many reasons the delegation took the extraordinary step, not least of which is polling that has Labor on track to lose the November election, despite having won in 2022 with an 11-seat buffer.<\/p>\n

Allan\u2019s personal approval ratings have become a particular liability and her close ties to Daniel Andrews have also weighed on her leadership. While Allan has made significant policy departures from her predecessor \u2013 including abandoning plans to lift the age of criminal responsibility to 14 and introducing some of Australia\u2019s toughest bail laws \u2013 the shifts have alienated parts of Labor\u2019s progressive voters without convincing others she represents a genuine break from the Andrews era.<\/p>\n

In effect, the push against Allan made public a major internal fear: Labor cannot win another election with the current leader.<\/p>\n

The effect of the Big Build<\/p>\n

Within the party, colleagues describe Allan as reactive rather than strategic, and as a poor communicator.<\/p>\n

Those who know her privately often speak of her sense of humour and easy rapport with people \u2013 qualities they say have rarely translated into her public leadership. Nearly three years into the role, even some Labor MPs struggle to articulate what she stands for.<\/p>\n

But more than any policy dispute or communications problem, it has been the allegations of wrongdoing on the Big Build, first revealed by Nine newspapers two years ago, that have eroded confidence in her leadership.<\/p>\n

Allan was the minister responsible for transport infrastructure at the time, and while she has apologised for criminal conduct that\u2019s been uncovered, she has also rejected calls for a royal commission.<\/p>\n

Allan has repeatedly dismissed calls for a royal commission into Victoria\u2019s Big Build. Photograph: Joel Carrett\/AAP<\/p>\n

Several Labor MPs say voters repeatedly raise questions about integrity when they are door knocking. One backbencher said their electorate office received calls every second day about the allegations \u2013 often referencing the public funding that might have been lost to wrongdoing.<\/p>\n

They have concluded the issue has become impossible to contain without a royal commission.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe issue has overshadowed every single achievement we have made. We can\u2019t talk about the Metro Tunnel, we can\u2019t talk about West Gate Tunnel, free public transport, new hospitals and schools,\u201d one MP said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt is incumbent on the government to investigate it. To find out what happened\u201d<\/p>\n

Another MP said the government \u201chave to be accountable for decisions we have made on behalf of the Victorian people\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the moment no one believes that\u2019s happening in a meaningful way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Allan\u2019s likely successor is viewed by colleagues as sufficiently removed from the infrastructure portfolio to draw a line under the controversy.<\/p>\n

Carroll has long been touted as a potential challenger for the leadership, but has consistently ruled out doing so. As recently as June, he looked Allan in the eye and declared he would not challenge her.<\/p>\n

There may be have been some pragmatism at bay. The party now requires a weeks\u2019 long process when there\u2019s a contested leadership ballot, to allow rank-and-file members to cast their votes.<\/p>\n

With an election in November, could the party afford a such a drawn out affair \u2013 one that could be avoided if only one person contested the leadership?<\/p>\n

But, with Allan refusing to stand down, Carroll announced his intention to contest the leadership. He has told colleagues that he would establish a royal commission if elected leader.<\/p>\n

Publicly, there is little detail about what such an inquiry would involve, and Allan\u2019s supporters argue it could be politically disastrous.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be five minutes of relief, and then we\u2019d be right back where we are now,\u201d one minister said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery day of the campaign there would be hearings. Every day there would be media reporting. How on earth would that help us?\u201d<\/p>\n

Those backing Carroll\u2019s push believe the premier\u2019s poor approval figures mean voters will forgive them for moving against her. They point to a poll in the Herald Sun in June that showed even 40% of Labor voters believed she should be replaced ahead of the state election.<\/p>\n

But even if Labor changes leader, it might not be enough. After three terms in office, the party could simply face the political reality that voters have decided it is time for a change.<\/p>\n

Benita Kolovos is Guardian Australia\u2019s Victorian state correspondent<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In what could be Jacinta Allan\u2019s last cabinet meeting as Victorian premier, several of her ministers turned against…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":826760,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,44],"class_list":["post-826759","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/826759","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=826759"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/826759\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/826760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=826759"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=826759"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=826759"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}