Andrew Constance quits NSW politics to run in federal seat of Gilmore
He had been named as a potential leadership contender after Gladys Berejiklian’s resignation, but Transport Minister Andrew Constance will quit NSW politics.
NSW
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NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance is resigning from state politics to take a run at federal politics in the seat of Gilmore on the NSW south coast.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has welcomed the decision and said Mr Constance “tells it straight” and “would make a great member of our team”.
It is Mr Constance’s second crack at a federal job after he announced he was running for the seat of Eden-Monaro in May last year only to pull out less than 24-hours later.
“I want to indicate after months of speculation, I will be putting my name forward for Liberal preselection for the seat of Gilmore with the eye to moving to the federal parliament from the state parliament,” he said.
Mr Constance said the “heartbreaking” resignation of premier Gladys Berejiklian had brought forward his decision to stand down from state politics.
He said it was “incredibly tough” to see the downfall of “one of the most incredible premiers that the state has ever had” but that he meant he needed to act to give certainty to the new leader.
“I will stand down as Transport Minister in the reshuffle that happens this week and that will allow the leader, whoever that is, to fill that role,” he said.
Mr Constance said he would remain as the member for Bega until the end of the current parliamentary session and would then “spend the summer door knocking” the area.
His home and current state electorate are part of the federal seat of Gilmore which is currently held by Labor politician Fiona Phillips.
“I know the region and I love the area,” said Mr Constance, whose emotional handling of the bushfires earned him widespread respect.
Prime Minister Mr Morrison said: “Andrew has an outstanding local reputation and a great deal to offer at the federal level, especially given his experience in the NSW Government. He tells it straight and would make a great member of our team.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard praised Mr Constance’s work as an MP and singled out his emotional response to the bushfires that devastated his electorate.
“Andrew has been a stalwart. He has worked very very hard as a state MP,” Mr Hazzard said.
“He has sacrificed a lot of himself for the community he represents. No one can forget Andrew’s sadness and his passion when there have been terrible events in his community.
“Andrew, whatever he does will always be a very major contribution to his community. I hope he is successful in that.
In May last year Mr Constance announced that he would be running for the seat of Eden-Monaro but pulled out after Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro described him as a “c***” in a news story.
“Bugger this for a joke, why would I sit here for the next five weeks defending that kind of front page,” Mr Constance said after pulling out of the by-election race that was triggered by the resignation of Labor MP Mike Kelly.
“When I said politics is stuffed in this country and some of the people in it need to have a long, hard look, I meant it,“ he said.
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