Former attorney general Christian Porter has announced he is quitting politics and will not recontest his seat at the next election.
The Liberal MP, who was first elected to federal parliament for the Western Australian seat of Pearce in 2013, announced the decision in a lengthy social media post on Wednesday afternoon.
“I have spent the best part of the last 20 years in public service. This week however, I made the decision that I will not recontest the seat of Pearce at the next federal election and I have informed the prime minister of that decision,” he said.
“Before each election I have always asked myself whether I could absolutely guarantee another three years of total commitment to the electorate because people deserve that commitment, free of any reservations.”
Mr Porter said "after a long time giving everything" to his electorate, "it’s now time to give more of what is left to those around me whose love has been unconditional".
Mr Porter earlier this year sued the ABC for defamation over an article airing allegations of a 1988 rape of a now-deceased woman by a senior cabinet minister.
He vehemently denied the allegations.
Mr Porter later resigned from the Morrison government cabinet after some of his legal bills were paid for by a blind trust. He was adamant he had not broken any rules or breached ministerial standards.
Parliament's powerful privileges committee this week found Mr Porter in not declaring the blind trust, but recommended rules be updated.
The MP appeared to reference the saga in his retirement announcement.
“There are few, if any, constants left in modern politics. Perhaps the only certainty now is that there appears to be no limit to what some will say or allege or do to gain an advantage over a perceived enemy,” Mr Porter said.
“This makes the harshness that can accompany the privilege of representing people, harder than ever before. But even though I have experienced perhaps more of the harshness of modern politics than most, there are no regrets.”
Mr Porter served as treasurer of Western Australia before entering federal politics in 2013, where he also served as social services minister, industrial relations minister and science and technology minister.
Speaking with 2BG radio in the wake of the announcement, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Mr Porter was “a valued colleague and friend and has done a lot of good work in [parliament]”.
WA Liberal Party president Richard Wilson said Mr Porter had made an “immense contribution to the WA Liberal Party, to the people of Western Australia and to our nation as a whole”.
It comes amid speculation Health Minister Greg Hunt is also planning to quit politics at the next election.
