Ben Carroll calls for royal commission into construction sector after replacing Jacinta Allan as Victorian premier

Ben Carroll has confirmed he will call for a royal commission into the Victorian construction sector after becoming the state’s 50th premier.

Carroll, who was elected unopposed to replace Jacinta Allan on Tuesday, said he would make the move his first action as premier — a stark contrast to his predecessor, who had refused calls for an inquiry into alleged union corruption.

“In my government, integrity will not be optional,” Carroll told a press conference shortly after he was sworn in as premier.

“Whether in business, politics or the union movement, there will be zero tolerance for those who misuse their positions.

“We are saying enough is enough.”

Carroll said a special prosecutor would also work alongside the commission to assist it in its work.

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The new premier insisted he was not going to be like Labor premiers before him and said he would focus on restoring Victorians’ trust in the government, taking a hard stance on crime and ensuring government spending remains responsible.

“Let me make one thing very clear: I am not Daniel Andrews, I am not Jacinta Allan,” he said.

“I will do things differently because different times require a different approach.”

‘Circumstances changed’: Carroll denies broken promise to Allan

Carroll was asked whether he had lied to his former boss and to the media when he publicly declared support for Allan, only to announce a challenge on Monday.

“I’ve got a young daughter at home, and I couldn’t be more proud to make sure that she grows up knowing that I supported Jacinta Allan to be a world-class premier and get re-elected in her own right,” Carroll said at a press conference last month with Allan present.

Carroll was coy on his exact motivations for choosing to challenge for the top job, but said Monday was the first time he had been told the caucus had lost faith in the former premier and canvassed as leader.

“The circumstances changed,” he said.

“Yesterday morning, I was approached by a delegation who asked me to stand for leader.

“This delegation had already visited the premier, and informed her that they wanted change.

“I’m going to be that change.”

Allan was approached on Monday by a group of cross-factional Labor MPs, including six ministers, telling her she had lost the support of the party room.

Carroll released a statement on Monday saying he had been approached by the delegation and would stand in the event of a leadership spill.

However, he was almost forced into a showdown against Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny at a chaotic party room meeting on Tuesday morning.

9News understands it was a fiery meeting, with raised voices heard, as well as laughing.

Kilkenny was convinced to pull out of the race just before the end of the meeting, leaving the road clear for Carroll to ascend to the top job.

Had she stayed in the running, it could have caused a drawn-out leadership process taking up to six weeks.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson opened question time by going after Carroll’s broken promise.

“Only last month, the premier said, ‘I’ve got a young daughter at home, and I couldn’t be more proud to make sure she grows up knowing I supported Jacinta Allan’,” she said.

“How can Victorians possibly believe this premier can act with integrity when governing Victoria, when he can’t even be honest with his own daughter?”

Carroll replied: “I think someone’s a little bit upset over there.”

He then repeated the same defence he gave reporters earlier in the day.

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Labor concerned about Liberal-One Nation government

Allan said she had made the decision to step aside on Tuesday morning for the good of the Labor Party ahead of the November election.

“After speaking with my colleagues overnight, I have made the difficult decision to step aside as leader of the Victorian state parliamentary Labor Party, and as premier of Victoria,” Allan told reporters.

Allan claimed she would have been willing to back herself in a leadership ballot, but said such a move so close to an election would be damaging to the party.

“I am making this decision because it’s the right thing by the Labor Party, and by the Victorian people,” she said.

“I was prepared to put my record and my plan to a ballot of members... I believe I would have won. But doing so this close to an election takes up valuable resources, including the most precious of one – time,” she said.

“More importantly, it puts the state in a position of uncertainty. That hurts the Victorian people, and I just won’t do that.”

Allan had been under pressure for months after controversy surrounding alleged union corruption in the state’s Big Build project, as well as a spate of firebombings, arson attacks and stabbings in the state.

One Nation has been surging in support, with the latest polling suggesting it had 27 per cent of the primary vote, while Labor and the Coalition were tied on 26 per cent.

“The stakes at this election are too high,” Carroll said.

“Polling says Victoria is on track for Australia’s first Liberal-One Nation government.

“A Liberal-One Nation government that will cut schools, health and frontline services. Only Labor can stop the risk of a Liberal-One Nation government that will hurt working people.”

Allan said that she would have been eager for a fight at the election against the Coalition and One Nation.

“I would have absolutely relished the fight this November. I was more than ready,” she insisted.

“I saw off two Liberal leaders. Now, I expect my successor will see off the third,” Allan said, adding she believes One Nation could eclipse the Liberal Party, and called a potential coalition between the pair a “distinctly dangerous” possibility.

Allan refused to confirm whether she would stand for election in her seat of Bendigo East at the November election.

PM praises Allan

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to Allan, hailing her as a “very decent human being” who is “motivated by her passionate belief in the lifestyle and in the education, health, transport” of Victoria.

“She’s someone who can be proud of her achievements over a long period of time and I wish her well for her future,” he told reporters in Perth.

“This will have been a very difficult day. Politics can be a very tough business.

“I’ll work with whoever is the premier or chief minister in any state or territory... and I certainly wish her well in the future.”

Albanese said he hoped Victorians would elect a Labor government at the impending state election as he criticised One Nation and the Coalition as a “recipe for chaos”.

“Or (voters) can choose a chaotic coalition of the Liberal Party, One Nation, and the National Party, including a political party that doesn’t even know who its leader is or who its candidates are,” he said.

“That would be a recipe for chaos, and I want to see the Victorian Labor government re-elected.”

In a social media post later Tuesday afternoon, Albanese congratulated Carroll.

“Working with Ben as education minister, we locked in full funding for every Victorian school,” he said.

“Premier, I’m looking forward to working together to deliver better schools, healthcare and more homes for Victorians.”