Victoria could have its first female premier in more than three decades as Daniel Andrews heads for the door.
Andrews will hand over reins at 5pm on Wednesday and give up his seat of Mulgrave, after announcing his decision to step down at a press conference on Tuesday.
The outgoing premier cited thoughts about life after the top job as his reason for leaving, hinting he could work in the private sector after taking time off.
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“To be honest, I’ve spent a long time in the public sector … I think it highly unlikely that I’ll spend too much more time in the public sector after five o’clock tomorrow,” Andrews told reporters.
“I’ve been privileged and honoured to be, in a way of speaking, a public servant for 21 years.”
Andrews was flanked by his family as he made the announcement, while members of cabinet, including presumed successor Jacinta Allan, also watched on.
The current deputy premier is expected to be picked for the top job at a Labor caucus meeting at noon on Wednesday, making her the state’s first female premier in more than 30 years since Joan Kirner stepped down in 1992.
Allan confirmed on Twitter she would put herself forward to lead Victorian Labor, while public transport minister Ben Carroll was also considered a contender for the top job as of Tuesday.
Monash University politics lecturer Dr Blair Williams said the appointment of Allan, already the second woman to hold the deputy premier title in Victoria, could be considered part of the “glass cliff phenomenon”.
“This term has been coined to describe the frequency with which women are appointed to leadership positions during times of crisis or when there are higher risks of failure,” Williams said.
“Allan will have to navigate a complex political landscape to fill the large Andrews-shaped gap in a third-term government.”
Allan could also face sexism in the role like other women who’ve taken up leadership roles in Australian politics, Dr Williams said.
Monash senior politics lecturer Dr Zareh Ghazarian added Andrews’ decision to step down could be a “circuit breaker” in Victoria after a long time of the Liberals being mired in internal divisions and seemingly unable to mount an effective campaign against Labor.
“With Andrews out of the way, the Liberal Party has a clear opportunity to reposition itself as an effective political force and reconnect with those who may have abandoned it during the Andrews premiership,” Ghazarian said.
Andrews became premier in November 2014, booting out a first-term Liberal government, and led Labor to two more victories in 2018 and 2022.
During the 2022 election campaign and in the months after, Andrews repeatedly said he would stay for the full four-year term.
He said the change of heart was a recent decision.
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