Victorian Deputy Premier Ben Carroll says collapse in Labor vote in Werribee by-election in ‘unacceptable’

Victorian Deputy Premier Ben Carroll has branded the collapse in Labor’s primary vote in Werribee as “unacceptable” and pledged to “redouble our efforts” to win back traditional heartland voters.

Victoria’s Deputy Premier Ben Carroll has labelled a collapse in Labor’s primary vote in Werribee “unacceptable” and has called for Airport Rail to be prioritised.

The push to fast track the train line, which would connect the western suburbs to Melbourne Airport, came as Premier Jacinta Allan continued to back in the controversial first stage of the Suburban Rail Loop – the state’s most expensive infrastructure project.

She said current work on Cheltenham to Box Hill trainline “must continue”.

As revealed by the Herald Sun on Monday, some Labor MPs are expected to urge the Premier to pause the contentious project as Labor attempts to recover from a massive swing against them at the Werribee by-election.

Mr Carroll, who represents the northwestern seat of Niddrie and is known to be critical of the Suburban Rail Loop, said the government needed to “redouble” its efforts in it the west – its traditional heartland – and focus on getting Airport Rail up and running.

“It was a sizeable swing,” Mr Carroll told 3AW on Monday.

“Unacceptable that result.

“We need to work hard, redouble our efforts.”

Ben Carroll has branded the collapse in Labor’s primary vote in Werribee as “unacceptable”. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

He appeared to call for Airport Rail - which forms part of the final stage of the SRL - to be prioritised, labelling the long-awaited project the “anchor” in connecting the northwest to Melbourne’s public transport system.

“It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of making sure that Melbourne’s western suburbs, and northern suburbs, are connected to a Suburban Rail Loop via the Melbourne Airport,” he said.

“We need to get on with building Airport Rail.”

But Ms Allan maintained her support for prioritising SRL East on Monday, saying building works already underway “must continue”.

“We have to get on and delivering the Suburban Rail Loop and that’s exactly what we are doing,” she said.

“There are construction sites right across the corridor … there are construction sites where the work is underway and it must continue.”

Pressed over whether there was any possibility of the mega project being halted, she said: “I don’t think I could have been clearer”.

Jacinta Allan has refused to back down from the the Suburban Rail Loop. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Deputy Liberal Leader Sam Groth on Monday said the government should be focused on ensuring Victorians feel safe in their own homes rather than “squabbling internally over Labor’s terrible result on the weekend and whether they still support the Premier’s pet project”.

A stunning swing of 9.8 per cent against the ALP in the Werribee by-election at the weekend has sent shockwaves through Labor, with senior figures worried what the results meant for the coming federal election.

If the collapse of support in Werribee – which currently has Labor’s primary vote down by 17 per cent – were replicated at the 2026 state election, a swag of MPs including deputy premier Ben Carroll would face losing their seats.

Premier Jacinta Allan said the results showed voters were “sending a message” and that “people want their voice heard”.

“We have to do more to support, particularly working people and their families, at this tough time,” she told ABC radio.

“But we also have to look at what we can change, what we can improve, what we can build on.”

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan says people want their voice heard. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The drop in Labor’s vote in its traditional heartland electorate will put renewed internal pressure on Ms Allan to pause her signature Suburban Rail Loop project.

A cross-factional group of MPs in Melbourne’s west and north are preparing to lobby the Premier with a list of things that needed to get done or change to help them keep their seats at next year’s general election.

The Victorian Electoral Commission will resume counting for Werribee on Friday to allow for all remaining postal votes to arrive.

Labor’s John Lister has 50.55 per cent on a two-candiate preferred vote with 75.2 per cent of the vote counted.

Liberal candidate Steve Murphy has 49.45 per cent of the vote.

Originally published as Victorian Deputy Premier Ben Carroll says collapse in Labor vote in Werribee by-election in ‘unacceptable’