Attorney General Yvette D’Ath quits politics, will not contest next Qld election

Just three weeks after dismissing rumours, the Attorney-General has confirmed she will quit politics after more than 16 years.

• Inside story: Rise and fall of Yvette D’Ath
• The Qweekend interview

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath will quit politics at the next state election, declaring it is time to “allow myself to look after me” after almost two decades in politics.

The Redcliffe MP, who just three weeks ago moved to dismiss rumours she was preparing to exit, said the choice to not recontest in October was difficult.

“This decision has not been made lightly and comes with some sorrow but also excitement about what journey I may embark on next,” she said.

“I want to thank the former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for her friendship, leadership, and her support over the past 10 years.

“I also want to acknowledge and thank Premier Steven Miles for his support over many years, including during my time as Health Minister.

“I thank the Premier for his ongoing support for me to continue to serve in my current ministerial role through to the end of the term.”

Ms D’Ath was Queensland Health Minister during the Covid-19 pandemic. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Ms D’Ath said she made the decision to retire from politics after mulling it over during the Christmas break – the first uninterrupted time off she has had since the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an unusually candid press conference, she said it had been a “good innings” and it was time to see what else she could do outside politics after serving in both state and federal parliaments.

“It gave me time to think, time to talk to my children … and now is the right time,” she said.

“I’ve done 16 years, I’ve sacrificed and my family has sacrificed a lot.

“My kids spent their whole childhood watching me go into schools of other kids and miss a lot of their own events.”

And the decision is purely personal she said, affirming it was not because confidant and friend Annastacia Palaszczuk had left the top job and Steven Miles taking over in her place.

Ms D’Ath nominated the small but significant legislative changes as among the highlights of her time in parliament and as Attorney-General.

Annastacia Palaszczuk and Yvette D'Ath. Pic Darren England.

This included “lemon laws” around consumer rights and defective vehicles, getting offensive slogans painted on camper vans off the roads, and reforms brought in during the legalisation of same sex marriage.

Women’s rights and legalising abortion were also listed as accomplishments.

Premier Steven Miles said he had been in discussions with Ms D’Ath in recent weeks, with her decisions likely made in “recent days”.

He stood by Ms D’Ath to stay in the role as the state’s top lawmaker, saying there was a lot of work under way in the portfolio that was due to land before the election.

“With eight months it would be difficult for somebody to get across that work and make sure that it landed in time so I think it’s entirely appropriate that Yvette continues to deliver on those commitments,” he said.

Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath had a turbulent time as Health Minister. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Ms D’Ath was removed by Ms Palaszczuk as health minister in May 2023 and Mr Miles in late January ended her term as Leader of the House in favour of his factional ally Mick de Brenni.

Speculation Ms D’Ath remained bruised from the experiences and was preparing to quit politics in October was dismissed by her office on February 1, with a spokesman insisting the “Attorney-General is running”.

“My decision to not recontest is based on many considerations, but not least that it is time to try to find more balance in my life, to allow myself to look after me, after what will almost be 17 years of serving the people of Queensland,” she said on Thursday.

“I have spent the past few years in my various roles, speaking to many people across the legal and health professions about wellbeing and the importance of looking after oneself, so that you may look after others.

“That is what I am finally going to allow myself to do post October 2024.”

Ms D’Ath was elected to the federal parliament as Petrie MP in 2007 before being defeated at the 2013 election.

She was parachuted into Redcliffe during the February 2014 by-election where she secured a crushing 16 per cent swing against the LNP government.

“I look forward to what will inevitably be an extremely busy eight months and I look forward to doing everything I can to support the election of the Miles Government at the next election,” she said.