Did Jacinta Allan have a Dan Andrews problem?
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
In just a few months, the entire global order has shifted. Canada would be great as our cherished 51st state.
The US has started threatening its traditional allies and cosying up to its traditional enemy, Russia.
Do you respect Putin? I do respect him. Do you? Why? Well, I respect a lot of people. So what does Donald Trump get out of all this?
I'm Matt Bevan, and on my show, if you're listening, we try to detangle the chaos of the world so that you really understand it. Find new episodes on ABC Listen every Thursday.
What triggered Jacinta Allan’s sudden resignation as Victorian premier?
In the end, she saw the writing on the wall. One of the most unpopular leaders in Australia's history resigned. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen reluctantly relinquished her job. And after heated Labor Party jockeying and much chaos, Ben Carroll, her deputy, took her place. Today, John Fain, former long-time ABC Melbourne Mornings host, on Jacinta Allen's downfall. I'm Sam Hawley on Gadigal land in Sydney. This is ABC News Daily.
After speaking with my colleagues overnight, I've made the difficult decision to step aside as leader of the Victorian State Parliamentary Labor Party and as premier of Victoria.
Victoria has a new premier elect after a Spring Street party meeting, which descended into chaos this morning after Jacinta Allen resigned. For a while, it was chaos inside the caucus meeting room with yelling heard and people contesting the premier and deputy positions. It's just head swimming, isn't it? The speed with which this has happened. 9.30, Jacinta Allen steps down.
How did the Spring Street Labor caucus meeting descend into chaos and what happened next?
Three hours, 15 minutes. Here we are watching Ben Carroll being sworn in as the new premier.
I am honoured and humbled to be elected unanimously as the new leader of the Victorian Labor Party and serve as the 50th premier of Victoria.
John, it's just four months until an election in Victoria and changing the guard this late in the piece can be risky, can't it? We saw that with Biden and Harris, the handover in the United States before that election. It didn't go so well.
But you can also look at what's happened in the UK where Andy Burnham's got a bounce after Keir Starmer was in the absolute pits of despair for the Labor Party there. So whether it's shifting deck chairs in Titanic scenario or whether it's, ah, we can revive our chances, only time will tell. But I think one of the mistakes Jacinta Allen did make was will not be made by Ben Carroll. She never differentiated herself from Dan Andrews and I don't think Ben Carroll will do that any more likely than you'll see him front up in a North Face jacket or whatever it is that Dan Andrews used to wear. He's going to be his own person.
What immediate actions did Ben Carroll take when sworn in as premier?
He's a different, totally different creature and he won't fall into that trap. I make that confident prediction.
Yeah, okay. So when Jacinta Allen took over from Dan Andrews, this really towering figure, that's safe to say in Victorian politics, what she just could not distinguish herself from him.
She could have, but she didn't because she was so invested in the big build program. It was her portfolio when she was the deputy. She never looked at her own government with fresh eyes the way I think Ben Carroll can and will.
Let me make one thing very clear. I am not Daniel Andrews. I am not Jacinta Allen. I will do things differently because different times require a new approach.
Just explain that big build problem that she had and also just how she handled that whole thing.
The big build has been the signature policy of the Andrews government since they came into office all those years ago. It started off with level crossing removal and it was brilliant. It worked because level crossings created so much congestion around a fairly flat city like Melbourne. So getting rid of level crossings with what they called Skyrail, lifting a lot of train lines onto elevated platforms or dropping them into underpasses at level crossings, has been phenomenally successful in freeing up Melbourne for freight as well as commuters. It's also brought communities that were separated by a train line. It's given them a chance to unite across what becomes very often an area of parks and bikeways and barbecues and basketball rings and things where people could just walk across to the neighbours, whereas they used to have to do this big kind of round trip to the nearest level crossing.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:47
2
What triggered Jacinta Allan’s sudden resignation as Victorian premier?
0:47–2:05
3
How did the Spring Street Labor caucus meeting descend into chaos and what happened next?
2:05–3:20
4
What immediate actions did Ben Carroll take when sworn in as premier?
3:20–6:01
5
Why did Jacinta Allan struggle to distinguish herself from Dan Andrews?
6:01–9:37
6
What is the 'Big Build' and how did it contribute to political problems for Labor?
9:37–13:21
7
What were the CFMEU and corruption allegations and how did Allan respond?
13:21–14:55