Jacinta Allan says she won't step aside as future hangs in the balance

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has declared she will not resign, vowing to fight any potential leadership challenge as her position hangs in the balance. Reports emerged suggesting that Labor factional powerbrokers met and concluded that Allan no longer commands the majority support of the caucus.

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I will not be stepping aside. I intend to run as a candidate for the party's leadership in the event that an election is required.

Allan is scheduled to meet with cross-factional delegates, where she is expected to be offered an opportunity to resign. If she refuses, a leadership challenge is anticipated as early as tomorrow. In a letter to the state secretary, Allan confirmed her intention to run for leadership if an election becomes necessary. Under party rules, a contested leadership election involving MPs and rank-and-file members could take several weeks.

Sources indicate that Labor ministers and MPs have urged Deputy Premier Ben Carroll to challenge Allan, and he is reportedly giving it serious consideration. The party's performance in recent opinion polls has been poor, with a June News Corp poll indicating a majority of voters desired a change in leadership. Allan's handling of alleged corruption within the taxpayer-funded Big Build scheme has also drawn criticism.

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It sounds like the factional bosses have finally caught up with the sentiment of Victorians, which is they want this premier gone. A shift of horse at this very late minute to a new premier is not going to change anything fundamentally.

Federal Liberal Senator for Victoria, James Paterson, commented that any leadership change would be "too little, too late," suggesting that Victorians want the premier gone and that a late shift would not fundamentally alter the situation. He also noted that Carroll's past involvement in the former Daniel Andrews government might not benefit him. Conversely, Federal Labor MP Kristy McBain defended Allan's performance, emphasizing the need for "strong and steady leadership" during rapidly evolving global circumstances, while acknowledging that the decision rests with the Victorian parliamentary party.

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I think it is really important at the moment, you know, we're in a situation where we've got a rapidly evolving world out there, and we need strong and steady leadership in each state and territory across the country.