Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has broken his silence, endorsing his successor Ben Carroll who has publicly sought to distance himself from the previous administration.
Carroll, who took over as Labor leader and Premier this week, stated at his first press conference, "Let me make one thing very clear: I am not Daniel Andrews. I am not Jacinta Allan. I will do things differently, because different times require a new approach." Andrews, however, did not appear to take offense, congratulating Carroll on his new role and expressing confidence in his ability to win the upcoming November election.
"I well remember campaigning shoulder to shoulder with Ben in the Niddrie by-election in 2012. I saw then what I know now: he is a great campaigner who will take it up to the Liberal Party and One Nation," Andrews said. "Elections like this are won by a handful of votes in a handful of seats. I believe Premier Carroll and his team can win in November."
Andrews also emphasized the stakes for working people in Victoria, warning of potential cuts under a "Wilson-Hanson Government."
Carroll initially sought Labor's leadership after Andrews' resignation in 2023 but withdrew from the race following a factional agreement that led to him becoming deputy premier under Jacinta Allan. Allan, who was widely seen as Andrews' mentee, had been anointed his successor when he retired from politics in 2023.
Carroll has also faced questions regarding a planned $134,004 bronze statue of Andrews for Melbourne's Treasury Place, a project approved under a policy commemorating Victorian leaders with over 3,000 days in office. Carroll has been non-committal on whether the statue project will proceed.
Allan has not yet announced her future political plans. Former federal Labor leader Bill Shorten commented on the leadership change, suggesting that state Labor was facing "extinction level results" and that Victorians desired a change from the previous era. Former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks expressed that Carroll's ascension places the party in a strong position to contest the election, though he anticipates a challenging campaign.
Recent Newspoll results, prior to Carroll's elevation, indicated the Labor Party was trailing the coalition by 52 percent to 48 percent on a primary vote basis. Pollster Tony Barry noted that Carroll would need to convince voters of his leadership capabilities, drawing parallels to past leaders who were not electorally successful.