Leadership rumblings fall flat as premier survives

Callum Godde | June 16, 2026

Jacinta Allan will live to fight another day as Victorian premier after a leadership challenge failed to materialise despite weeks of speculation and falling support in the polls.

Victorian Labor MPs filed in on Tuesday morning for a final caucus meeting before parliament rises until late July.

It was considered the final chance for MPs to roll their leader, unless a special meeting was called over the mid-winter break.

But momentum for a spill ground to a halt after Ms Allan’s main internal rival, Deputy Premier Ben Carroll, ruled out a challenge on Monday.

Ms Allan, who has been heavily criticised for rising state crime rates and allegations of corruption on government project worksites, walked into the meeting with Mr Carroll and others trailing behind her in a show of support.

After the 30-minute meeting, the premier said she would “absolutely” lead Labor to the November state election.

“We’ve just had a fantastic Labor caucus meeting where we talked very clearly about a big week in parliament ahead being focused on working people,” she told reporters.

Mr Carroll described himself as a “marathon runner” when asked if he had missed his chance to take the top job.

“No one has spoken to me about the leadership,” he said, adding he didn’t know where the whispers were coming from.

“It’s not coming from me.”

Victorian Labor has not changed leaders this close to an election since Steve Bracks replaced John Brumby as opposition leader in March 1999.

Mr Carroll said the premier delivered a message to be united, disciplined and let Victorians know what was at stake come November.

He wouldn’t say whether Ms Allan specifically addressed the leadership speculation.

“There’s always been a line under it,” the deputy premier said.

“I’ve been a loyal deputy for three years and I’ll continue to be.”

With the meeting in the rear-view mirror, he hoped Labor MPs started to focus on the election and the challenge ahead as Victorians didn’t want to hear about internal politics.

“You watch us win in November, you watch the papers the next day,” he said.

“We will turn this around.”

The meeting may not be the end of leadership rumblings for Ms Allan, if Labor doesn’t correct its slide in the polls.

Nine newspapers’ latest Victorian Resolve poll, twin surveys of 1100 voters in May and June, showed support for Labor dropped one percentage point to 26 per cent.

One Nation’s primary support grew three points to 24 per cent, while the coalition’s fell three points to 26 per cent.

Almost a third of Labor voters said the Allan government did not deserve another term.

Asked if Labor would preference One Nation last at the state election, Ms Allan said the party’s view of Pauline Hanson’s populist party had never changed.

“It’s the Liberal party that’s changed,” she said.

“The Labor party’s been consistent and clear for decades on this question.

“We are now seeing the Liberal party abandon any sense of decency and principle … they had it in the 90s, they don’t today.”

The coalition needs a net gain of at least 16 seats in November to govern in majority, meaning it may require an agreement with One Nation to snatch power in the event of a hung parliament.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said the Allan government had taken its eye off the ball.

“We’re seeing a government that isn’t focused on Victorians and they’re focused on themselves,” she said.

“We’re focused on ensuring that we’re listening to Victorians, that we’re outlining our plan and our vision for this state.”