Who is Ben Carroll, poised to become Victoria's new premier?

Ben Carroll, a former lawyer and political adviser, is set to become Victoria's next premier, stepping into the role after Jacinta Allan's resignation. Carroll's background is rooted in Airport West, a Melbourne suburb, where his parents established a family business and home. He has spoken about his upbringing, emphasizing the hard work of his parents in both raising a family and running a small business, G B K Electrics.

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In addition to building their family home, Mum and Dad also started their own small business, G B K Electrics, the initials stand for Greg, Ben and Kay.

Carroll's early career included working at Kmart and joining the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association union. This experience, he said, provided him with a strong understanding of the importance of unions for working people. He later served as a political adviser under former Victorian premiers Steve Bracks and John Brumby.

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Raising a family and establishing a small business at the same time is hard work. Mum and Dad succeeded at both.

Author and speechwriter Joel Deane suggests Carroll's leadership style might echo the Bracks-Brumby era, characterized by a socially progressive yet fiscally conservative approach. This contrasts with the leadership of Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan. Carroll, who entered parliament in 2012 as the Member for Niddrie, has been deputy premier since September 2023.

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When I was growing up, dinner time was characterised by Dad putting the telephone off the hook so the family could sit down and have a meal together without interruption.