Greg Hunt announces his resignation from politics

Health Minister Greg Hunt has confirmed he will be quitting politics, revealing the reason behind his decision.

Greg Hunt has confirmed he will resign from politics, revealing his children had told him it was his last chance to be a proper dad.

Speaking on the last sitting day of parliament, he paid tribute to his wife Paula, a former nurse, and his two children.

“She has raised two beautiful children, largely as a single mother, and I’m so immensely proud of Poppy, who is going into year 11 and James, who was about to go into senior school,” he said.

“They are both getting awards this week, and again I’m not there.

“But, they said to me, on Sunday, they looked at me, and they said, Dad, this is your last chance to be a proper Dad. And it’s time to come home, Dad. So, earlier today, I spoke with the Prime Minister and my electorate chairman and I informed them I would not be contesting the next election.”

Mr Hunt said he was confident in the systems in place to deal with the pandemic and it had been an “immense privilege” to help guide the nation’s response.

“But for all the time we have spent together, and as fond as I am of the Prime Minister and the Treasurer, my card has always been elsewhere, to my family,” he said.

Greg Hunt appears to wipe a tear from his eye on the last sitting day of parliament. Picture : NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

He said that his late father, Victorian state Liberal MP Alan Hunt, had always told him to honour the parliament and be a parliamentarian before a politician.

He also appeared to throw his support behind Zoe McKenzie, who was an adviser to Andrew Robb while he was trade minister, to replace him in his Victorian seat.

“It is time, subject to the will of the local branch members for a strong and brilliant woman to be the Liberal candidate for Flinders,” he said.

After Mr Hunt finished his speech, the entire gallery rose to their feet and applauded him.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Mr Hunt had expressed his desire to spend more time with family before the last election - and they never would have imagined what was to happen next.

“Greg spoke to Josh (Frydenberg) and I before the last election, and expressed to us his desire to go and be with his family, we called upon him one last time. Not knowing, in full what those three years might bring,” he said.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese described Mr Hunt’s two decades in parliament as a “significant achievement”.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was asked on Wednesday about the reports his colleague and friend Mr Hunt was retiring.

“I will wait to see but details of Greg Hunt’s comment you have referred to,” he said.

“Greg is my closest friend in this place.

“We are very dear friends and he has been an outstanding Health Minister through this crisis.

“The fact that Australia has one of the lowest mortality rates in the world and the fact that we have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world is in due to no small part to the incredible work that all health professionals have done across Australia, and Greg as the Health Minister on this once-in-a-century pandemic has been outstanding.

“I will leave any further comments to see exactly what statements you are referring to.”

Mr Hunt was asked by David Speers, the host of ABC’s Insiders, on November 14 whether he would be running again.

Hunt responded: “Pre-selected and running”.

Mr Hunt has overseen Australia’s coronavirus response and been in charge of the nation’s health portfolio for the last four years.

He is a father-of-two who was first elected to parliament in 2001.

Originally published as Greg Hunt announces his resignation from politics