After 48 hours of acrimony, Ben Carroll’s U-turn for the ages needs to set Victoria on a new course

‘The main challenge for Carroll now is to convince voters that while he inherits Jacinta Allan’s government he will not simply continue it.’ Composite: Victoria Hart/Guardian Design

Ben Carroll had hoped to quietly rise to the top job. Instead, he became Victoria’s 50th premier after 48 hours of heated confrontations and shouting matches, all as the public watched on.

It was his first confrontation against the premier, and he emerged from it relatively unscathed.