Labor Party dictates a fresh rule for Jacinta Allan: Do not become Dan 2.0

Jacinta Allan has taken the reins of a divided Victorian Labor Party as MPs make it clear that they want an end to the autocratic ways of the ­Andrews era.

Jacinta Allan speaks to the media after being elected unopposed by caucus as the Victorian Labor Party leader on Wednesday. Picture: Getty Images

Jacinta Allan has taken the reins of a divided Victorian Labor Party and been forced to accept her leadership rival as a deputy, as MPs make it clear that they want an end to the autocratic ways of the ­Andrews era.

Ms Allan was elected un­opposed to succeed Daniel Andrews as Victoria’s 49th Premier, following hours of factional negotiations to avoid more than a month of leaderless chaos that would have ensued had her now deputy Ben Carroll proceeded with plans to challenge for the top job, thereby forcing a ballot of party members.

The former deputy premier and transport infrastructure minister becomes the second woman to lead Victoria after Joan Kirner, inviting comparisons with the woman who inherited an ailing state economy and government in crisis from John Cain in 1990.

Giving her first press conference as Premier alongside Mr ­Carroll ahead of their swearing-in on Wednesday afternoon, Ms Allan promised to push on with the infrastructure build she has presided over as minister, vowing to outline policy priorities aimed at continuing what she termed the Andrews government’s “reform agenda” in coming days.

The 50-year-old member for the central Victorian seat of Bendigo East, who entered parliament at the age of 25 after having worked as a Labor staffer, said she would prioritise regional Victoria, as well as working with the state’s First People’s Assembly on a “path of treaty”.

“It is such a deep honour and privilege to be in a position to be heading to government house and to be sworn in as Premier of Victoria,” Ms Allan said.

“I pledge to the Victorian community that I will continue to work hard, as I have done every single day as a member of parliament, particularly too, I think in the last eight years. We have worked hard as a government.

“We’ve certainly driven a big and strong agenda in the transport infrastructure space, where we’ve gotten away big and complex and challenging projects that we haven’t run away from.

“I haven’t walked away from those challenges. We’ve pushed on because we’ve understood the importance of those projects.”

Ms Allan stands to take credit for the Metro rail tunnel, which is set to open in 2026, and the West Gate Tunnel, due to open next year – as well as having presided over Labor’s politically expedient level crossing removal program.

She also holds responsibility for billions of dollars of cost overruns, shambolic community consultation and sweetheart deals for the CFMEU that have been a feature of all of those projects – amid concerns from transport experts that things will only get worse on the North East Link and Suburban Rail Loop megaproject.

She was the minister responsible for the Commonwealth Games delivery until she and Mr Andrews announced in July that they were scrapping the event, costing the state budget $380m in compensation payments.

Ms Allan faces the task of assembling a new cabinet with a weaker political hand than that dealt to Mr Andrews, as she in­herits all the baggage of a third term government, many of whose star performers have retired over recent years. Those to have departed include former attorney-general Jill Hennessy – who was long regarded by many in the Left as a preferable future premier – as well as former deputy premier James Merlino and former ministers including Martin Pakula, Lisa Neville, Gavin Jennings, Jaala Pulford, Martin Foley and the late Jane Garrett.

The party division displayed by Mr Carroll’s challenge is being portrayed by powerbrokers from both the Right and the Left as evidence of a desire to move on from the days of a premier who controlled everything through his private office and did not consult colleagues.

“Daniel’s gone now, and Jacinta is going to need a very happy team,” said one factional player, who added that the challenge of holding the former premier’s southeastern suburban seat of Mulgrave – held by Mr Andrews against a controversial Liberal candidate with a 10.2 per cent margin in November – would be “no easy task”.

“Because of the way Daniel governed the internal politics of that caucus, there are so many bruised people, and they’re not prepared to endure that without him in the room.

“They were only prepared to endure it from him because he delivered electoral success, and ­Jacinta doesn’t have his skill.”

Ms Allan and Mr Carroll denied his having challenged her demonstrated a lack of party unity, with the new Premier saying she had enjoyed the unanimous support of caucus.

“We’ve walked out of the Labor Party parliamentary room as I’ve been supported unanimously by my colleagues, as Ben has been for the position of deputy,” she said.

Mr Carroll said Ms Allan would make an “outstanding Premier”.

“I’m very proud to be serving her as the Deputy Premier, and I’m looking forward to rolling up the sleeves and getting on with the job,” he said.

Ms Allan said she looked forward to working alongside Tim Pallas as Treasurer – dismissing any suggestion the veteran politician was likely to step down after losing his bid to become her deputy.

“Tim has been an outstanding Treasurer of this state. He’s handed down nine budgets. That is no mean feat,” she said.

“I want to show him respect, but … I would be expecting him to stay on as Treasurer,” she said.

Opposition Leader John Pes­utto – who is facing internal battles of his own with expelled Liberal Moira Deeming and British women’s rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen poised to file defamation suits against him in coming weeks – said Labor’s divisions had been on display.

“I congratulate Jacinta Allan on being elected as the new Premier of Victoria and Ben Carroll on being elected Deputy Premier. It is a tremendous privilege to lead our great state and I wish them well,” Mr Pesutto said.

“Today, Victorians got their first look at life after Daniel Andrews, with Labor deeply divided and its factions at war with each other over his replacement.

“We shouldn’t be surprised that Labor is in turmoil. Jacinta Allan bungled major projects and was responsible for the debacle that was the 2026 Commonwealth Games, so it’s little wonder a number of Labor MPs got cold feet.

“The new Premier will be leading a divided party with a deputy who doesn’t think she’s up to it and has made no secret of the fact that he wants her job.

“We may have a different Premier, but we still have a tired, corrupt and incompetent government, and as of today, a deeply divided one.”

Nationals leader Peter Walsh said he was “deeply concerned” the Allan government would represent “business as usual” under Labor.

“More money wasted, more debt, more mismanagement, more secrecy, more poor governance,” he said.

“Victorians talk about Daniel Andrews handing Jacinta Allan a poisoned chalice. The truth is, her fingerprints are already all over the chalice.”

Anthony Albanese congratulated Ms Allan, saying the Bendigo born and bred new Premier had “always been a champion for ­regional development.”

“It’s been great to work with her over the years and I’m looking forward to Jacinta bringing her ideas and energy to national cabinet,” the Prime Minister said.