Keith Pitt quits politics, steps down from 2025 re-election

Nationals MP and the Federal Member for Hinkler since 2013, Keith Pitt, has announced his intention to quit politics and pursue a new “opportunity”.

Nationals MP and the Federal Member for Hinkler since 2013, Keith Pitt, on Friday announced his intention to quit politics and pursue a new “opportunity”.

In conference with the media on Friday morning, the MP said “I leave this seat with a 10 per cent margin, with a strong financial position for the local campaign”.

Mr Pitt has held the Bundaberg and Hervey Bay-based seat of Hinkler for 11 years, and said his decision to call it quits was weighed heavily on his dissatisfaction with some National Party policies.

The “bucket of frustration has now tipped over for me” he said when questioned on whether his resignation came on the back of not being on the front bench.

“There are some significant substantial policy decisions that have been taken that I fundamentally disagree with,” Mr Pitt said.

“No one can say that this has no cost,” he said on the LNP renewable energy strategy.

“The cost is being born, in particular, by regional people.”

He told The Australian on Thursday he was quitting politics because the National Party had become “irrelevant” to its regional based constituency under the leadership of David Littleproud by maintaining a commitment to net zero emission targets and turning its back on coal-fired power.

The former Morrison government resources minister accused Mr Littleproud of ensuing the Nationals were obedient to the Coalition Liberal partner on issues like emissions targets in their bid to win city voters ahead of the election, due next year.

The “next election will be fought on cost of living” the Hinkler member said.

“I represent a community for whom every single dollar, ten dollars, twenty dollars a week actually matters. If it’s hurting them, it’s hurting me” he said.

The Australian also reported that some sources claimed Mr Littleproud had previously agitated to remove Barnaby Joyce from the shadow cabinet and could seek to shift frontbench jobs around inside the Nationals.

Mr Pitt has served the Hervey Bay and Bundaberg communities for more than 10 years and leaves his position as Member for Hinkler with a notable legacy.

The Bundaberg-based politician championed the controversial cashless debit card, which was trialled in Bundaberg and Hervey Bay, and three other sites, from 2019 until Labor scrapped it in 2022.