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Ben Carroll’s Path to Victoria’s Premiership
After more than two decades of public service, Ben Carroll stands poised to assume the role of Victoria’s premier. The 51-year-old politician received unqualified backing from outgoing leader Jacinta Allan on Tuesday morning, positioning him as the sole contender for the top job just four months before the state election. Carroll’s ascent represents a remarkable journey from a local shop floor to the highest levels of state government.
A Political Ambition Realized
Carroll’s determination to advance within the Labor hierarchy became evident during a pivotal moment in 2023. When Premier Daniel Andrews resigned, he anticipated that his deputy Jacinta Allan would succeed him, with Treasurer Tim Pallas moving into the deputy position. However, Carroll—a junior minister from the party’s right faction—refused to accept this arrangement quietly. During what should have been a routine caucus session, he threatened to challenge Allan directly unless promoted to deputy premier himself.
“I was always very keen to rise,” Carroll declared at a press conference following his unexpected promotion.
The confrontation reportedly triggered an angry response from Andrews, but Carroll ultimately secured his desired position. When questioned about the outcome shortly afterward, he reflected on his extensive ministerial experience: “I’ve had 14 portfolios over six years … and I’m always looking to see how I can continue to increase my contribution to this outstanding Labor government.”
Roots in Melbourne’s West
Carroll’s connection to Niddrie runs deep. Elected to parliament in 2012, he represents a constituency covering Essendon West, Keilor East, and Airport West—areas where he was raised and continues to reside alongside his wife Fiona and daughter Madeliene. His political awakening began in his youth, when he took employment at a local Kmart store and became involved with the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, gaining early exposure to union activism.
He traces his formal entry into politics to 1996, when Simon Crean, then the federal member for Hotham, arranged a Canberra tour for him. During that visit, Carroll shook hands with visiting US President Bill Clinton and simultaneously joined the Niddrie Labor branch. Following university graduation with an arts degree, he spent time working in the insurance sector before the Bracks government won power in 1999. He subsequently served in the office of Senator Stephen Conroy before successfully securing preselection for Niddrie in a 2012 byelection, defeating Jaclyn Symes in the process.
Education Portfolio and Challenges
Upon entering state parliament, Carroll accumulated responsibility across numerous areas including industry, roads, employment, youth justice, and corrections. When Allan reshuffled her cabinet following her elevation to premier, Carroll exercised his traditional right to select his portfolio. Despite this privilege, Allan demonstrated some caution by excluding him from the expenditure review committee, which serves as cabinet’s primary decision-making body.
Carroll chose education as his domain, and his tenure has produced notable achievements. Victoria recorded its strongest Naplan performance in history during 2025, achieving first or second place across 18 of 20 assessment measures, with the highest proportion of students reaching “strong” or above benchmarks. He also championed mandatory phonics instruction in schools—a policy generating debate among academics and the Australian Education Union, though several educators report significant improvements in student reading abilities.
His time in education has not been without difficulties. In 2023, errors emerged in VCE mathematics and chemistry examinations. The following year, a major “cheat sheet” incident occurred when examination content for 65 subjects was inadvertently released and distributed weeks before students sat their tests. A subsequent investigation prompted Carroll to dismiss the entire curriculum authority board.
Current Political Landscape
Carroll’s potential leadership has been discussed for months, with expectations growing as parliament adjourned for winter in June. Several factors have contributed to this momentum: declining poll numbers, Allan’s modest personal approval ratings, increasing support for One Nation, and worries regarding organized crime’s penetration of the state’s Big Build projects through construction unions.
“I’ve got the job that I want,” Carroll told reporters on multiple occasions, dismissing speculation about his ambitions. “We have a premier, and she’s working harder than anyone every day. I want to serve J”
Most recently, Carroll has managed extended negotiations with the state’s teaching workforce. AEU Victoria members engaged in industrial action for the first time in thirteen years during March, with further action occurring just last week. As Carroll prepares to potentially become premier, he carries both the weight of his accomplishments and the challenges that lie ahead for Victoria’s Labor government.
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