Brad Hazzard to quit politics after 30 years, clearing path for cabinet reshuffle

Brad Hazzard, the longest serving member of the lower house, is retiring from politics, clearing the way for a ministerial reshuffle before the election.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard is retiring from politics. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Health Minister Brad Hazzard will retire from politics at the next election, ending a parliamentary career spanning three decades including more than 10 years in cabinet.

Mr Hazzard – the longest serving member of the lower house – has now become the fifth Minister to announce their retirement ahead of the 2023 election.

The decision clears the path for Premier Dominic Perrottet to reshuffle his Ministry before the election.

In a lengthy statement on Monday, Mr Hazzard thanked his wife and family for their support, “especially over these past three Covid-challenged years”.

He extensively thanked his staff working in electorate and Ministerial roles.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard with his team on Monday: Executive Assistant Ellie Pittorino, Chief of staff Leonie Lamont, Deputy Chief of Staff Ed Clapin, and policy director Jasmine Tackman. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Colleagues had long expected the veteran MP to announce his retirement ahead of the 2023 election, but in recent weeks believed he was having second thoughts.

The Daily Telegraph understands that Mr Hazzard made the final decision not to recontest over the weekend, after agonising over it for some time.

Mr Hazzard opening the new Hornsby-Kuringai Hospital on Monday. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Mr Hazzard is the latest in a conga-line of Coalition MPs and Ministers to jump ship from the government ahead of the next election.

Transport Minister David Elliott announced his retirement on Sunday, following Cities Minister Rob Stokes, Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello, and Corrections Minister Geoff Lee out the door. Former Ministers Melinda Pavey and Shelley Hancock will also leave in 2023, while former Minister Don Harwin quit earlier this year creating a casual upper house vacancy.

The Premier said that NSW is a “better place” thanks to Mr Hazzard’s “significant contribution”.

“There is no doubt our State benefited from Brad’s invaluable experience, commitment and advice throughout the pandemic and beyond,” he said.

Premier Dominic Perrottet praised his health minister’s “experience and commitment”, particularly in the midst of Covid. Picture: Daily Telegraph / Monique Harmer

“Brad’s legacy is a health system that is the envy of every other state in Australia, with investment and support at record levels.”

“I place on record my gratitude to Brad’s family and friends for supporting him in his long political career.”

Mr Perrottet has long been planning a reshuffle before the next election, but has been waiting on word from Mr Hazzard about his plans. Mr Perrottet could use his pending reshuffle to promote fresh faces into the front bench to replace some – or all – of the retiring Ministers.

Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott announced his retirement on Sunday. Picture: John Grainger

Digital and Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello also recently announced his retirement. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Mr Hazzard has been in cabinet continuously since the Coalition was elected to government in 2011. He has held the Health portfolio since 2017, describing his time in the role as “the best of times and the worst of times”.

“The best of times has been working with the incredibly talented medical and non medical staff in our health system, the building of 180 hospitals and health facilities across NSW (with more to come); as well as the huge increases in staff,” Mr Hazzard said.

“The worst of times came with COVID-19,” he said.

Mr Hazzard has overseen many a Covid update since the pandemic began in 2020. Picture: NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

Mr Hazzard said the pandemic featured “many anguished nights” and “a gruelling and a deeply upsetting time where rapid decisions had to be made to try and keep 8.5 million people safe from the virus”.

Former Health Department Secretary Elizabeth Koff, who moved to the private sector earlier this year, said Mr Hazzard had made an “extraordinary contribution” to NSW across his multiple portfolios.

She told The Daily Telegraph that she had some trepidation when she learned Mr Hazzard would take over the portfolio from former Minister Jillian Skinner.

“It would be fair to say his reputation preceded him as a challenging and demanding Minister,” she said.

“I don’t think he got the name Battleship Hazzard for no reason, because he is a formidable character.”

Mr Hazzard was given that nickname by former Premier Mike Baird, for tackling everything in his path.

Retiring NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard with long-serving Media Director Julie Garvey, who is the longest serving media adviser to the government with seven years in the role. Picture: LinkedIn

Mr Hazzard repeatedly took aim at his federal counterpart Greg Hunt during the Covid pandemic over, among other things, a lack of vaccine supply being made available to the states.

Prior to being sworn in as Health Minister, he served in the Family and Community Services portfolio, where he said he was concerned with reducing “unacceptably high number of Aboriginal children taken into care”.

Mr Hazzard served as Attorney-General and Justice Minister for almost a year from 2014, overseeing changes to tighten the Bail Act just a year after it had been overhauled.

He served as Planning and Infrastructure Minister in his first cabinet roles after Barry O’Farrell was elected as Premier in 2011.

Liberals have conceded that without Mr Hazzard, the Northern Beaches seat of Wakehurst could be at risk of falling to a “teal” candidate, if Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Reagan stands.