Ben Carroll, Victoria's Education Minister, has formally announced his intention to challenge Jacinta Allan for the leadership of the state's Labor party, setting the stage for a significant political contest just months before a state election. Carroll, 51, has been a Member of Parliament for Niddrie, in Melbourne's west, since 2012, and has openly stated his long-held political ambitions.
This is not Carroll's first attempt to ascend to the top. In 2023, following the unexpected resignation of then-Premier Daniel Andrews, Carroll mounted a surprising challenge to Andrews' preferred successor, Jacinta Allan. Despite being a relatively junior minister at the time, his refusal to fall in line reportedly led to a tense caucus meeting, culminating in Carroll securing the deputy leadership role. He stated at the time, "I was always very keen to rise," and highlighted his extensive portfolio experience.
Carroll's political journey began in his home suburb, working at Kmart, where he joined the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA), sparking his interest in unionism. His entry into formal politics was further cemented in 1996 when he joined the Niddrie Labor branch, the same year he met then-US President Bill Clinton during a tour of Canberra. After graduating with an arts degree and working in insurance, he served under Senator Stephen Conroy before successfully standing for preselection in Niddrie.
During his time in state parliament, Carroll has held a diverse range of portfolios, including industry, roads, employment, youth justice, and corrections, before taking on the education brief under Premier Allan. In this role, he has overseen Victoria's best-ever Naplan results in 2025, with the state ranking highly across numerous measures. He also championed the introduction of mandatory phonics classes, a move that has divided academics but has been praised by some teachers for its impact on literacy.
However, his tenure as Education Minister has also been marked by controversy. Significant errors occurred during his leadership, including mistakes in VCE maths and chemistry exams in 2023, and a major "cheat sheet" incident in 2024 where exam content for 65 subjects was accidentally released weeks before tests. This latter incident led to Carroll sacking the entire board of the curriculum authority. More recently, he has been involved in protracted negotiations with state teachers, leading to industrial action by Australian Education Union (AEU) Vic members in March and again last week.
The timing of Carroll's challenge, just four months before a state election, highlights growing pressure within the Victorian Labor party. Reports of poor polling for the incumbent government, coupled with Premier Allan's weak personal approval ratings and rising support for other parties, appear to have created an opening for Carroll to pursue his leadership aspirations once more.