Former prime minister Scott Morrison quits politics
Make us a preferred source
Make us a preferred source on Google
The news: Former prime minister Scott Morrison will leave parliament next month, triggering a second federal by-election early this year.
The numbers: Morrison, who has held the southern Sydney seat of Cook for over 16 years, released a statement saying that he will step down at the end of February. He has remained on the backbench since he was defeated in the 2022 federal election, which saw the Liberal Party lose 18 seats to Labor, the Greens and teal independents.
The context: Having first been elected to Australia's federal parliament in November 2007, Morrison held opposition frontbench positions from 2008 until the Abbott Coalition government was elected in 2013. He was initially appointed as immigration minister, before being promoted to social services minister in 2014 and then treasurer in 2015 when Malcolm Turnbull took over the prime ministership.
In August 2018, Morrison took the leadership from Turnbull. He then led the Coalition to a win in the 2019 election.
Morrison said in a statement that he would now be taking up a series of global strategic advisory roles and private boards, focused on the US and Indo-Pacific, while spending more time with his family.
What they said: Morrison said: “I have made this announcement about my parliamentary departure today to give my Party time to engage in a proper and inclusive process to select a new candidate for the Liberal Party in Cook."
He added: "I look forward to supporting that successful candidate in their local campaign, along with our Party Leader Peter Dutton and his deputy Sussan Ley who are doing a great job holding the Albanese Labor Government to account, and providing a clear alternative to lead Australia forward.”
The source: Scott Morrison statement
