It is a miracle that Labor’s factional warlords have been quiet for more than a decade in Victoria. The notorious “faceless hacks” who occupy seats of power without occupying seats in parliament were happy to sit back and watch as Daniel Andrews delivered them three successive election victories before passing the state’s top political office over to his chosen successor, Jacinta Allan.

That transfer of power, by modern standards at least, was conducted with little more than a whimper, with the exception of one “nuclear explosion” from the outgoing premier.

Victorian Labor’s rare era of party unity dissolved abruptly on Sunday night, as The Age reported. A meeting of the party’s factional conveners agreed Allan had lost the support of the party room. In the hours that followed, Allan’s characteristic defiance was on display. She declared her intention to lead Labor to the state election despite the factional conveners’ decision, despite the fact members of her cabinet had told her to resign and despite the fact deputy premier Ben Carroll had publicly signalled his intention to run for the leadership.

Even as she announced a change of heart and her decision to stand down on Tuesday morning, Allan declared herself a fighter who could have held on to the leadership through a ballot of members. This instinctive defiance might offer a hint at how the party – and indeed the electorate – turned against the premier.

When The Age revealed the enormous scale of corruption, criminality and wrongdoing by the CFMEU and some companies on worksites run by the state government, Allan’s defiance kicked in. She denied, downplayed and dismissed much of the reporting in the face of palpable public anger. Initially, she refused to give the state’s anti-corruption watchdog the teeth it needed to properly investigate.

Later, she promised her government would look into it, but only after the election. She refused to hold a public inquiry into the scandal, which has cost taxpayers billions of dollars on even the most conservative estimates. Many in her own party – including Carroll and other senior members of her cabinet – have favoured holding a royal commission.

Liberal leader Jess Wilson committed to holding a royal commission if the Coalition wins at the November 28 election. The Age also editorialised in favour of a royal commission, based on the groundswell of opinion from expert corruption fighters who think it is the only way to stop the rot and return a law-abiding culture to the state’s construction industry.

Allan remained defiant. No royal commission needed.

In politics, toughness is a virtue. Accountability and contrition are less common, but that’s what Victorians are clamouring for. The latest Resolve Political Monitor conducted for this masthead shows that seven out of 10 Victorians and nearly two-thirds of Labor voters support the establishment of a royal commission into corruption and organised crime activity in the construction industry.

There was a time when the Big Build was synonymous with Victorian Labor’s domination of state politics. It was Labor’s proudest achievement. Now, due in part to what has been uncovered by the reporting of The Age’s Nick McKenzie and others, it is synonymous with scandal, corruption and a lack of accountability.

As the minister responsible for the Big Build, Allan struggled to accept the wrongdoing that occurred on her watch. It now falls to Carroll to show that the government is capable of the contrition, accountability and transparency Victorians expect.

Fronting the media on Tuesday, the new leader said his first act as premier would be to call a royal commission and appoint a special prosecutor to work in parallel with it. We await details of the royal commission’s terms of reference. Carroll said they would be exhaustive, and they must be.

If this royal commission proves the only differentiation between his leadership and Allan’s, then in the view of this masthead, it was a change worth making. But Carroll and his deputy, Gabrielle Williams, are promising more: follow the money powers for the state’s anti-corruption watchdog before the election, a new direction on government integrity, community safety and repairing relationships with the business community. “It is clear Victorians want change. That change starts today.”

On the Suburban Rail Loop, the most expensive rail project in Australia’s history and a crown jewel of Victorian Labor, he would not rule out pausing and reviewing the signature government project. This followed his commitment to treat every taxpayer dollar with the respect it deserves. A message that carries extra meaning as our athletes excel at a Glasgow Commonwealth Games largely funded by Victorians due to a sudden change of heart by the Andrews-Allan government.

Carroll signalled his intention for tougher policies to combat violent crime, saying he had contacted Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush to assure him that his government would provide police the “powers, funding and support they need to fight crime”.

These are all signals of a serious shift in the government’s priorities, which is welcome. Victorians were ready for a fresh approach. They deserve a government that values transparency and accountability.

Carroll now has until the state election to convince them this three-term Labor government has truly changed.