Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan announced her resignation on Tuesday, succumbing to a leadership crisis that had been building for weeks. The decision comes hours after a delegation of Labor ministers informed Allan that she no longer commanded the support of a majority of the party's caucus.
A leadership spill motion was anticipated for Tuesday morning, but Allan's resignation preempts the need for a formal vote.
Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll is expected to succeed Allan as the leader of the Labor party. Allan's departure occurs just four months before the state election. She had previously survived a leadership challenge in June.
The Labor party has held power in Victoria since 2014, when Daniel Andrews led the ALP to victory. However, Allan's premiership has faced increasing pressure in recent months due to revelations of corruption within the state's "Big Build" projects. Critics, including corruption-busting lawyer Geoffrey Watson, have estimated the cost of this corruption to the state at $15 billion. Allan had resisted calls for a royal commission into the sector.
Additionally, persistent concerns about crime rates and an unresolved pay dispute with public school teachers have further challenged the government's standing.
Tony Barry, a pollster and former Liberal strategist, has expressed uncertainty about Carroll's ability to lead the Labor party to a fourth consecutive election victory.