MEMBER for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan has ruled out making a bid for the top job in the state opposition and says current leader Daniel Andrews will take the party to the 2014 election.
Shadow treasurer Tim Holding, tipped by some to take over from Mr Andrews, resigned yesterday.
ABC News quoted former Liberal powerbroker Michael Kroger as saying Ms Allan would lead the party to the next election.
“I was assuming he would end up leader of the party in the next couple of months,” he said.
“Look, (Mr Andrews) is not really up to the job.
“That’s why I thought Tim Holding would take over.
“I presume therefore that Jacinta Allan will take over before the next election.”
But Ms Allan told the Bendigo Advertiser she was not vying for the job.
“Putting aside the fact there’s no vacancy, yes, I’m ruling it out,” she said.
“This is exactly what the Liberal Party wants.
“They want you to be talking to me about this rather than focusing on their failures.”
Ms Allan described Mr Kroger’s comments as “flagrant mischief”.
“I’m confident that Daniel will be the leader of the Labor Party through to the election in 2014,” she said.
“He’s already doing an excellent job in exposing the weaknesses of the Baillieu Liberal-National government.
“They’re sending the state backwards and he’s doing a good job of exposing that weakness.
“He has the support of myself and the Labor Party caucus.”
Member for Northern Victoria Damian Drum said the issue was for the ALP to discuss.
“We have no interest in who they put up as leader,” he said.
“We don’t think Daniel Andrews is a very positive leader of the Labor Party, but we also acknowledge that opposition leadership is a hard job.
“We understand any leadership debate will be heavily factionalised.
“But it’s a squabble that’s ongoing for the Labor Party and we’re bett
