The fact that Victoria has a new Premier four months out from a state election shows that Labor is terrified it will face annihilation at the election.

Polling done for Victorian Trades Hall shows that One Nation could win up to 34 seats.

Ben Carroll, deputy to former Premier Jacinta Allan, has taken the reins, showing the party’s preparedness to do the bidding of big business and hoping that’s enough to keep it in power after 12 years.

Sue Bolton, a veteran Socialist Alliance Merri-bek City Councillor and the party’s candidate for Broadmeadows, told Green Left that the switch of Labor premiers “won’t interrupt Allen’s pro-big business agenda”.

In his first media interview, Carroll distanced himself from Allan and former Premier Dan Andrews by announcing a royal commission into the construction industry.

He pledged to run a more pro-business government and take a “tougher stance” on crime — an extension of Allen’s rotten policies.

Labor is increasingly unpopular because, among other things, it has spectacularly failed to offer decent wages to teachers, doctors, allied health workers and council workers.

“These are outstanding issues since Andrews’ era. But under Allan’s watch, they have gotten worse. Labor has not only........

© Green Left Weekly