Jacinta Allan leadership LIVE: Premier resigns an hour before crucial caucus vote; Ben Carroll arrives at parliament

Jacinta Allan is planning to resign, three sources close to the premier confirmed to The Age.

A press conference has been called for 9.30am.

Minister Paul Edbrooke has told journalists “I support a royal commission” when asked who he’ll support for the Labor leadership at today’s caucus meeting.

While he refused to explicitly confirm his support for Ben Carroll, the deputy premier supports a royal commission into allegations of corruption on Big Build projects.

Just yesterday, Nick McKenzie and Kieran Rooney revealed a secret briefing to Jacinta Allan sought to warn her in June 2023 the Big Build she was overseeing as minister was being taken over by a lawless CFMEU, that this could cause major cost blowouts, and bikies and criminals had reportedly infiltrated taxpayer-funded projects.

Treasurer Jaclyn Symes arrived a couple of minutes before Edbrooke, walking up the front parliament steps and only saying “good morning” to waiting media.

Labor MP Mary-Anne Thomas, an ally of Jacinta Allan, said she would support the premier today and would vote against a spill.

“She’s always had the people of Victoria at the heart of everything that she does,” Thomas said.

“I’ve known Jacinta for a very long time, and I have a great deal of admiration.”

Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said Allan had her full support and would continue to serve as premier.

Video footage captured from near Spring Street appears to show senior ministers Jaclyn Symes, Lily D’Ambrosio and Steve Dimopoulos in deep discussion last night.

The overnight camera operator for TV networks filmed the trio talking through the windows of government offices on Treasury Place.

They were not part of the cross-factional delegation who confronted Premier Jacinta Allan yesterday and told her to resign.

As state political editor Chip Le Grand wrote yesterday, supporters of the premier are furious it has come to this.

They say the campaign to replace Allan has been driven from outside the caucus by factional power brokers. More than one MP pointed a finger at former federal MPs Alan Griffin and Stephen Conroy – factional warlords from the party’s Left and Right.

Deputy Premier Ben Carroll, who is set to challenge Jacinta Allan this morning as leader, has arrived at Parliament House.

“I will have more to say later – right now, my focus is talking to my colleagues,” he told reporters before walking inside.

Carroll decided to challenge Allan for the leadership after a cross-factional delegation of Labor MPs met with him yesterday to say the premier had lost their support.

“The decision is not easy but the stakes at the upcoming election are simply too high,” he wrote on X.

Last month, Carroll publicly said the premier had his full support.

More Labor MPs have arrived at Parliament House, including some supportive of Premier Jacinta Allan.

Speaker Maree Edwards said she supported Allan “100 per cent”.

Housing Minister Harriet Shing, an ally of the premier, entered parliament while taking a phone call.

She did not pause to speak with reporters.

Labor minister Enver Erdogan said there is a case for change within the government, adding that he supports a royal commission into corruption on Big Build sites.

Although he declined to discuss “internal party matters”, Erdogan said there was a need for stronger action on crime and corruption.

Asked if he thought a royal commission into corruption in the Big Build was needed – something the premier has strongly resisted and was a source of consternation within the party – Erdogan responded: “Yes.”

Minister for Youth Luba Grigorovitch, one of the MPs who on Monday urged the premier to step down, declined to comment when she arrived at parliament on Tuesday morning.

Grigorovitch was dropped off by her driver directly outside a side door at parliament, and told the waiting press pack she “won’t be commenting on party matters”.

The Victorian government may avoid a bruising leadership challenge, with Jacinta Allan understood to be reconsidering her position within hours of an expected caucus vote.

While Premier Allan on Monday vowed to “fight all the way” any challenge to her leadership, overwhelming numbers in support of Deputy Premier Ben Carroll have increased pressure on her to resign.

One of Allan’s principal supporters, when contacted this morning about her prospect of surviving a spill motion, replied: “There may not be a contest.”

If Allan stands down, Carroll will become Victorian premier unopposed and lead the Labor Party to the November election. The caucus is due to meet in parliament at 10am.

Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn, who on Monday privately urged the premier to stand down, declined to comment when arriving at Parliament House this morning.

“I’m not going to discuss internal party matters,” she said.

Blandthorn met with a defiant Premier Jacinta Allan before a cabinet meeting on Monday morning alongside other ministers and Labor Party factional bosses.

Like other ministers who confronted the premier, she was told to resign by Allan, but refused.

We’re here on a gusty morning at Spring Street, where MPs have started arriving ahead of a meeting to try to topple Premier Jacinta Allan.

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny just walked outside the front of parliament, where she again expressed support for her premier, surrounded by media.

“I’m here today as a minister of this government, and the premier has my support,” Kilkenny said.

A number of journalists are already here ahead of the Labor caucus meeting at 10am – the press pack is building at the front and back of parliament.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson arrived shortly before 7am, while shadow attorney-general James Newbury arrived soon after.