Jacinta Allan says she won't step aside as future hangs in the balance

Premier Jacinta Allan has vowed to fight any leadership challenge, as her future as party leader hangs in the balance.A delegation of Labor MPs was meeting Ms Allan this morning to inform her she had lost majority support of caucus.The ABC understands the group was advising her that her position was untenable, and urging her to step down.But Ms Allan has written to Labor's state secretary to ask that they are ready for a contested leadership ballot.In the letter, Ms Allan said she would not be stepping aside, saying she intended to run as a candidate for the party's leadership "in the event that an election is required".Under Labor party rules, if there is more than one candidate for the party's leadership, an election must be held among MPs and rank-and-file party members in a process that takes weeks.The ABC understands Labor ministers and MPs have called her deputy Ben Carroll to urge him to challenge the premier's leadership.Sources close to him say he is seriously considering it.The ABC understands Deputy Premier Ben Carroll is seriously considering a leadership tilt. (AAP: Joel Carrett)Labor's Victorian MPs were this morning arriving for a pre-planned state cabinet meeting.Labor has struggled in polls in recent months, with an opinion poll published by News Corp in June reporting a majority of voters believed it was time for Ms Allan to be replaced as Victoria's Labor leader.Ms Allan's response to alleged corruption in the taxpayer-funded Big Build scheme has also caused controversy.There are four months left until the state election in November. 'Too little, too late'Federal Liberal senator for Victoria James Paterson told the ABC this morning that any move to roll Ms Allan would be "too little, too late"."It sounds like the factional bosses have finally caught up with the sentiment of Victorians, which is they want this premier gone."A shift of horse at this very late minute to a new premier is not going to change anything fundamentally."While no formal challenger has put their hand up, Mr Paterson said Mr Carroll's role in former premier Daniel Andrew's government would not do him any favours."He participated in every decision this government has made over the last few years. He was even a cabinet minister under Daniel Andrews," Mr Paterson said."I really think at this late stage it won't change much as Victorians clearly want a change of government."Jacinta Allan took over the top job after former premier Daniel Andrews announced he was standing down in September 2023. (AAP Image: Daniel Pockett)Federal Labor MP Kristy McBain said she thought Ms Allan had done a "really fantastic job in the time she's been given"."I think it is really important at the moment, you know, we're in a situation where we've got a rapidly evolving world out there, and we need strong and steady leadership in each state and territory across the country," she said this morning."But ultimately, those questions are for the Victorian parliamentary party."Jacinta Allan was first elected to the Victorian Parliament in 1999, winning the seat of Bendigo and becoming the youngest female Victorian MP at the age of 25. Her first ministry was the education services and youth affairs portfolio in 2002.