Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon confirms he will retire after 25 years in Hunter

A Labor MP has confirmed he will not contest the next election, saying he was confident his party had rid itself of ‘crazy policies’ it took to the last election.

Veteran Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon will not contest the next election, confirming he would end his 25-year politics career.

Mr Fitzgibbon has held the seat of Hunter in NSW coal country since since 1996, when he took it over from his father, Eric.

After the 2019 election – in which he suffered a 14 per cent primary vote swing — Mr Fitzgibbon vowed to put “labour back in the Labor Party” and return the party to its blue-collar origins.

Mr Fitzgibbon quit the frontbench last year after warning the party risked splitting in two if it was going to continue to alienate regional voters in order to prioritise inner-city voters with its ambitious, short-term climate policies.

After the 2019 election, Mr Fitzgibbon urged his party to adopt the Coalition’s climate policies.

Joel Fitzgibbon has held the seat of Hunter for 25 years. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

At the time, he said that Labor needed to reach “a sensible settlement on climate change”.

Confirming the news to Sunrise on Monday, Mr Fitzgibbon said despite what some might think, he was not abandoning ship.

“It’s a difficult decision, but I’m very comfortable with that,” he said.

“I depart very happy and satisfied. I’m very proud of my work over the course of the last 25 years locally, nationally and internationally.

“I’m very confident now that Labor can win the next election under leadership of Anthony Albanese.”

Joel Fitzgibbon quit the front bench over mounting contention with Labor’s climate policies. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Fitzgibbon said he had “in part” made the decision to leave politics on election night in 2019, but had changed his mind “a couple of times” over the course of the last two and a half years.

“I feel very confident that they (Labor) have come back to the centre ground,” he said.

“I knew if I worked hard at it, Labor would see common sense and come back to the people it’s traditionally represented.

“Recognise the important role of the resources sector plays in our national economy.

“Anthony Albanese has dispensed with all the crazy tax policies we took to the last election. He’s committed to leaving in place legislated tax cuts for all Australians. He’s been to a coal mine, talked about our support for the sector … we are well placed.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce thanked Mr Fitzgibbon for his decades of service. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“It’s not as if we’re up against a good government.”

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce thanked Mr Fitzgibbon for his years in Parliament.

“We always have to keep a close eye on Joel, because he actually had the nerve and the vein of a lot of our people,” Mr Joyce said.

“I wish you all the very best. You represent what the Labor Party should be about.

“I’ll buy you a beer in Canberra.”

Originally published as Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon confirms he will retire after 25 years in Hunter