UPDATE: Jacinta Allan has resigned as Victorian Labor’s parliamentary leader and as Premier of Victoria.
Allan will shortly chair a Labor caucus meeting to elect a new leader, with Deputy Premier Ben Carroll expected to secure the leadership and become Victoria’s next Premier.
Allan has declared her “full and unqualified support” for Carroll.
Victorian Labor MPs are expected to vote on a motion to spill the party’s leadership on Tuesday morning, placing Premier Jacinta Allan’s position under direct threat four months before the state election.
The party’s parliamentary caucus will meet at 10am after a cross-factional group of ministers and MPs reportedly told Allan she no longer held the support of a majority of Labor MPs.
Deputy Premier Ben Carroll confirmed on Monday that he would nominate for the leadership if the spill motion succeeds.
“It is clear that the premier has lost the majority of our caucus,” Carroll said.
Allan has refused to step aside and has formally notified Victorian Labor that she intends to contest any leadership election.
What Happens If the Spill Succeeds?
A spill motion requires the support of at least half of Labor’s parliamentary caucus.
If it succeeds, the leadership becomes vacant and nominations open. Both Allan and Carroll have indicated they will contest.
A successful spill would not automatically make Carroll the new Premier.
If only one candidate nominates, that person can become Labor leader without a wider ballot. However, if Allan and Carroll both proceed, Labor’s leadership rules require a vote involving parliamentary MPs and rank-and-file party members.
The votes from caucus and party members would each account for 50 per cent of the final result.
Candidates would need support from at least 20 per cent of caucus to nominate. Voting could remain open for 28 working days, potentially extending the leadership contest for about six weeks.
Interim Leader Could Be Required
Labor MPs would need to appoint an interim leader while the wider ballot takes place.
The interim leader cannot be one of the candidates contesting the permanent position. As Labor remains in government, the interim leader would be expected to lead the state until the ballot concludes.
If Carroll ultimately wins the contest, he would replace Allan as Labor leader and would be expected to become Victoria’s new Premier.
If Allan wins, she would retain the leadership. If the spill motion fails, she remains Labor leader and Premier.
The leadership crisis comes ahead of Victoria’s state election on 28 November, with Labor MPs increasingly concerned about the government’s prospects of securing another term.
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