Ben Carroll

Only Labor will deliver free dental care for all Victorians.

I'm fighting for the tens of thousands of working people who can't afford to see a dentist. This is a structural cost-of-living commitment. It's not a one-off. It's a new, statewide service that won't go away.

The $230 million commitment funds 10 free public dental clinics (seven in Melbourne, three regional), walk-in, no income testing, expected to treat 100,000+ people a year; framed by Carroll as "the first new policy Labor will take to the election."

The 2026-27 Victorian Budget (delivered under the Allan government, which Carroll's government now continues) put half-price public transport in place through the end of 2026, plus Free Kinder (saving families $2,700/child).

The same Budget also funds an affordable school uniforms program, Glasses for Kids, School Breakfast Clubs funding, and stamp duty concessions extended to April 2027.

"We're delivering real cost of living help right now and a surplus every year." — Treasurer Jaclyn Symes, party/government line rather than a Carroll quote personally.

"Victorians deserve to feel safe where they shop, where they work and where they live."

"More police and PSOs in more places, more often – all part of Labor's plan to keep Victorians safe."

As Premier, announced (13 August 2026) $150 million for 150 additional Protective Services Officers to patrol Melbourne shopping strips/centres, on top of 200 new PSOs funded in the prior year.

Also extended Operation Pulse (major shopping centre patrols) through end of next year — the operation has produced 1,700+ arrests and 3,500+ charges since inception.

Prior to Carroll's premiership, the Allan government's 2025 bail law reforms (which his government continues) made community safety the overarching principle in bail decisions and removed the "last resort" principle for youth remand.

The same reforms introduced a new "high degree of probability" bail test for repeat serious offenders, and reclassified machetes as prohibited weapons.

Carroll has previously indicated support for a "zero tolerance" approach to crime; reporting characterizes him as agitating for tougher law-and-order measures since becoming Premier, though further specifics beyond the PSO announcement were not detailed in sources reviewed.

The government's Activity Centres planning program (originally Andrews-era, continued under Allan and now Carroll) targets 2.24 million new homes by 2051 and introduced a "deemed to comply" fast-track approval pathway (the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code), with roughly 7,000 fast-tracked applications since March 2025, up about 50 percent on the prior year — party/government platform rather than a Carroll-specific statement.

The 2026-27 Budget included an $860 million Social Housing Growth Fund intended to deliver 7,000+ social housing homes.

No direct quote from Carroll personally on housing supply, rental affordability, or home ownership costs was found in sources reviewed since he became Premier; industry groups (HIA) have publicly pressed him for an early, clear commitment on housing supply, suggesting he had not yet staked out a personal position as of this research date.

"My first job was at Kmart down the road from where I lived. It taught me from a young age the value of a dollar."

Pledged that government spending would be "treated carefully, responsibly, and only where it delivers the greatest value to Victoria."

"We will not be cancelling contracts - that era is over."

"I'm going to run a disciplined, proper cabinet process."

Victoria's state debt is reported to be on track to reach roughly $199-200 billion by 2030 (around 24.4% of gross state product), up from about $150 billion in 2024-25 — a reported/analytical figure, not a government-published target.

The 2026-27 Budget (Allan government, continued under Carroll) forecast surpluses of $700 million in 2025-26, $1 billion in 2026-27, rising to $2 billion by the end of the forward estimates.

As his first act as Premier, announced a royal commission into alleged corruption/organised-crime infiltration of the Big Build construction program.

Announced a royal commission into corruption allegations on the taxpayer-funded Big Build construction program as his first act as Premier; terms of reference not yet detailed at time of research, but described as "expansive" and to be established "as soon as possible."

On the $125 billion, 90km Suburban Rail Loop: did not deny reports he would order a review and consider redirecting funding, but made no commitment on the project's future — characterized by reporting as leaving "the door ajar" for a rethink.

"I will look at how can we do [major] projects better. Obviously, that entails some sort of getting under the hood … If it does mean [building them] over time, means better production and a wiser spend of our dollars, that is something I will consider."

"All major projects, whether it's offshore wind, renewables, public transport … they've got to extract the best dollar for taxpayers."

Restructured Cabinet to abolish the standalone Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop roles, while denying this signals SRL cancellation: "We are running a smaller, more efficient and more effective government where it extracts the best value for taxpayers."

"My priority is delivering full and fair funding for our public school kids."

"30 per cent of our disadvantaged kids are in public schools. That's twice what it is for the non-government sector. I want to make sure that we reach up and bring every one of those kids for their future."

"Secondly, it's the right thing to do."

As Premier, committed (9 August 2026) to Victoria fulfilling its full funding obligations to public schools under the Commonwealth's Gonski-derived School Resource Standard before the November election.

Victoria currently funds around 70% of the agreed standard versus a Commonwealth 20% share, and the prior government was reported to have short-changed Victorian schools by an estimated $2.4 billion over three years.

As Education Minister prior to becoming Premier, delivered a $10 million rebuild of Essendon Keilor College (his own electorate) in the 2015-16 Budget.

Has repeatedly emphasised public education as central to his political identity, including describing public education as "the most powerful investment in our future."

"Labor designed, funded, and is building this wonderful, Ballarat Base Hospital, $655 million investment."

"Healthcare is so fundamental, particularly in the regions, because a lot of people want to be in the regions for what they would consider to be their best years."

As Premier, announced a $230 million plan for 10 free, walk-in public dental clinics, framed explicitly as "the first new policy Labor will take to the election."

The 2026-27 Budget (Allan government, continued under Carroll) allocated $32.3 billion in total health funding, a further $3.9 billion increase, $1.6 billion in hospital funding, and $284.4 million for hospital expansion/upgrades.

It also funds 4,000 more surgeries and 45,000 more specialist appointments over four years, plus continued funding of nine bulk-billed Urgent Care Clinics that have supported over one million visits. Quotes on this Budget are attributed to Health Minister Harriet Shing, not Carroll personally.

Under the government-wide Activity Centres reform (Andrews-era origin, continued through Allan and now Carroll), Carroll's own electorate is one of the initial 10 pilot activity centres nominated for higher-density rezoning; the Niddrie (Keilor Road) & North Essendon Activity Centre Plan was implemented 11 April 2025, permitting up to 3 storeys (4 on lots over 1,000m²) in the core along Keilor and Mount Alexander Roads.

The rezoning uses a streamlined "deemed to comply" pathway that removes third-party notice/review rights for compliant applications, with height caps and a local-infrastructure funding mechanism added after community feedback.

Statewide, the reform codified residential development standards to bypass VCAT assessment for compliant projects and targeted an additional 60,000 homes across 10 initial Melbourne activity centres by the end of 2024, with the Planning Minister assuming council planning responsibility in those areas — party/government platform, not a Carroll-specific statement, and predates his premiership.

"I support the concept of offshore wind. [The sector] can have confidence that I will provide certainty, but I want to take advice."

"All major projects, whether it's offshore wind, renewables, public transport … they've got to extract the best dollar for taxpayers." — signalling a value-for-money review of the offshore wind program rather than an unconditional reaffirmation, even as the state's first offshore wind auction proceeded on its existing timetable.

As part of Labor's pre-Carroll 2026 election agenda, a $50 million publicly-owned apprenticeship academy for electrical trades was announced, supporting 2,000 placements over four years, jointly funded via the State Electricity Commission and private operators — framed by the party as evidence of commitment to reviving the SEC.

In his post-swearing-in Cabinet, Carroll appointed Jaclyn Symes as Minister for Energy and Resources, the State Electricity Commission, Climate Action and the Environment, keeping those portfolios combined under one minister.

"Treaty is good for all Victorians, and this is about making sure we acknowledge the past and have a better and brighter future for everyone."

Gellung Warl — the elected First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria plus a Closing the Gap implementation body and a truth-telling/reconciliation body — began operating 1 May 2026 under the Statewide Treaty Act, prior to Carroll's premiership; his government has continued to operate it, and both the Liberals and One Nation have pledged to dismantle it if elected in November.

"I want strong provincial cities, which will be on strong manufacturing... Supporting our farmers and having really strong transportation links, and strong tertiary universities."

"I'm also a really big proponent on wherever we can, to make sure our government agencies are in our regions."

On regional roads: "we've got a billion dollars going in every year to our road maintenance program. It's clear it's failing the community's expectations," adding he wants officials to "drill down, double-check it's all been done to the standard that it needs to be... we are filling in more potholes than ever before."

"Healthcare is so fundamental, particularly in the regions, because a lot of people want to be in the regions for what they would consider to be their best years."

"Every person in Ballarat knowing that they have a future in Ballarat, a job in Ballarat, a world-class education and a world-class healthcare system."

Toured the $655 million Ballarat Base Hospital Stage 3 redevelopment (new hospital tower, emergency department, 100 more beds, new theatre suite) on his first visit to Ballarat as Premier, roughly 106 days before the election.