Julie Bishop announces she will quit politics at the next election

Julie Bishop has announced she is quitting politics. Her loss will make one of the government’s biggest problems even worse.

Julie Bishop has announced she will quit politics at the next election.

Ms Bishop was the Liberal Party’s deputy leader for 11 years, and served as Australia’s foreign minister under Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull.

She ran for the leadership when Mr Turnbull was deposed, but lost to Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton in the first round.

“During the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to closely consider the future of the Coalition government and the pending general election,” Ms Bishop told parliament this afternoon.

“The government will be returned to office because it is focusing on what matters to the Australian people. And on that basis, I have reconsidered my position as the member for Curtin,” she said.

“I’ve been contacted by a number of talented, indeed extraordinary people, including women, who have indicated to me that should I not recontest the seat of Curtin, they would seek preselection.

“It is time for a new member to take my place.”

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Julie Bishop announcing her retirement after Question Time. Picture: Kym Smith

THE HOLE SHE LEAVES BEHIND

Ms Bishop’s presence will be keenly missed.

She has been the most popular senior Liberal MP among voters for a long time. On top of that, she is among party’s best fundraisers and most tireless campaigners.

If she had stayed in parliament, and Scott Morrison had lost this year’s election, she would have been an immediate contender for the Liberal leadership.

Ms Bishop is also the government’s most prominent female parliamentarian.

Since moving to the backbench, she has been outspoken about the Liberal Party’s problem attracting women.

“It’s not acceptable for our party to contribute to the fall in Australia’s ratings from 15th in the world in terms of female parliamentary representation in 1999 to 50th today. There’s a lot to be done,” Ms Bishop famously said at the Australian Women’s Weekly Women of the Future event in September.

“Our party, in fact all parties, recognise they have a problem in attracting and maintaining women, diversity in general.

“When a feisty, amazing woman like Julia Banks says this environment is not for me, don’t say ‘toughen up princess’, say ‘enough is enough’.”

Julie Bishop hugging Kelly O’Dwyer after her speech. Both senior Liberal women are leaving at the election. Picture: Gary Ramage

Of course, Ms Banks has quit the Liberal Party to join the crossbench in the months since Ms Bishop made those comments.

Speaking to reporters on her way out of parliament today, Ms Banks said Ms Bishop was “one of the finest leaders this country has ever seen”.

“Julie Bishop should have been the first female Liberal prime minister,” Ms Banks said.

“She’s a woman of incredible wit and acute intellect, and I am deeply honoured to call her my friend.”

Yesterday we watched Minister for Women Kelly O’Dwyer deliver her valedictory speech to parliament. She is also quitting at the election.

And it didn’t take long after Ms Bishop’s announcement today for people to note the news would further weaken the Liberals’ position with women.

“Makes you wonder just how many (or few) women will be left in the LNP after the next election. Not that there were many to begin with,” Channel 10’s Lisa Wilkinson said.

With Ms Bishop and Ms O’Dwyer both retiring from politics, the Liberals have lost their two biggest female stars.

Julie Bishop, Julia Banks, Kelly O’Dwyer, Ann Sudmalis....

Makes you wonder just how many (or few) women will be left in the LNP after the next election.

Not that there were that many to begin with...#auspol

— Lisa Wilkinson (@Lisa_Wilkinson) February 21, 2019

HER FINAL SPEECH

Ms Bishop started her announcement by praising the government and fulsomely endorsing its policy platform.

“I have closely observed Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Liberal-National team in the parliament, in Question Time, in the party room, in press conferences, and elsewhere.

“And it is evident that the policy platform that we will take to the next election is crystallising based on the very firm foundations of our unrelenting focus on prudent management of our national finances, so that we can afford the services that Australians need.

“On returning the budget to surplus. On paying down debt. On lowering taxes. On backing enterprise. On job creation. And growing the economy for the benefit of all Australians.”

Ms Bishop said she had come to the conclusion that Labor had “learned nothing” from its past failures, and therefore, the Coalition “will win the next election”.

“The government will be returned to office because it is focusing on what matters to the Australian people. And on that basis, I have reconsidered my position as the member for Curtin,” she said.

“I’ve been contacted by a number of talented, indeed extraordinary people, including women, who have indicated to me that should I not recontest the seat of Curtin, they would seek preselection.

“It is time for a new member to take my place.”

There has been speculation that Attorney-General Christian Porter could seek to replace Ms Bishop in Curtin, but news.com.au understands he will not.

Ms Bishop with Prime Minsiter Scott Morrison today. Picture: Getty

Ms Bishop promised she would work hard to help her replacement win the seat.

She was confident the Liberals could retain the seat, given she was leaving the party’s next candidate a massive margin to defend — having wracked up a two-party preferred vote of 71 per cent — along with an experienced campaign team and plenty of funds.

Ms Bishop said it had been an “immense honour” to be Curtin’s longest serving member, Australia’s foreign minister and the Liberals’ deputy leader.

“I am also proud of the fact that I am the first woman to contest the leadership of the Liberal Party in its 75 year history,” she said.

“And I am so very proud that my successor, Senator Marise Payne, will be and is the second female foreign minister of Australia.”

She thanked and acknowledged the prime ministers she had served under — John Howard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull.

“I was brought up to believe that entering public office should be one of the highest callings, and that being able to direct your energies and abilities to the betterment of your state or your country was one of the greatest contributions you could make,” Ms Bishop said.

“I will leave this place positive about the future, proud of the service that I have been able to give to my electorate of Curtin, my beloved Liberal Party, the state of Western Australia, and my country.”

AUSTRALIA REACTS

Ms Bishop left the chamber quickly after delivering her speech, but both party leaders nevertheless rose to praise her career.

“I think it is important to mark the speech that we have just heard from the member for Curtin, simply to acknowledge her tremendous service to our country, her tremendous service to her community, tremendous service to the Liberal Party,” Scott Morrison said.

“Julie is a Liberal through and through and she has always held fast to those important Liberal principles.

“We share many things in common — not just thinking that Tina Arena is the best female singer in the country — but apart from that, her passion that she has always brought to her role, the dignity and grace that she is demonstrated in every single role she has held. She is an incredibly classy individual.

“Her successor will have big shoes to fill, and we know that Julie has the best shoes in the parliament!” he said.

That was a reference to the famous red heels Ms Bishop wore when she announced her resignation as foreign minister.

She has since donated them to the Museum of Australian Democracy.

Julie Bishop’s famous shoes. Picture: AAP

Bill Shorten said that, like many other Australians, he was “disappointed” by the news of Ms Bishop’s political retirement.

“I know she was fierce in her criticism of Labor, but I think she admired that we did such a big job in terms of trying to encourage women in parliament, and she was always generous in that regard,” Mr Shorten said.

“I want to talk about the fact she was a trailblazer. The first female foreign minister, that is a big achievement. There can never be another first.”

The Labor leader praised Ms Bishop’s “calm”, “composure” and “kindness”, particularly with respect to her response to the MH17 tragedy.

“If any of us were ever to be privileged to be in the position she was in, dealing with the Russians and other people, I hope that any of us would show the same strength she showed. She did Australia proud that date and in those weeks,” he said.

“I wish Julie and David well and everything that is ahead and I feel that the Liberal Party can have nothing but good regard for her.”

Meanwhile, Malcolm Turnbull described Ms Bishop as Australia’s “finest foreign minister”, saying she was “eloquent, elegant and always courageous”.

Tony Abbott said Ms Bishop had been a “very effective foreign minister” in his government, and would always be remembered as the first woman to hold that post.

Thank you @JulieBishopMP for your 20+ years service to Australia, as a MP and Minister, and to the Liberal Party. You’ve been a star of the @LiberalAus team and we wish you all the best. pic.twitter.com/nWsgpJEfbU

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) February 21, 2019

Whoever replaces @JulieBishopMP will have big shoes to fill and we all know Julie has the best shoes in Parliament.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) February 21, 2019

Thank you @JulieBishopMP for your service to our nation and our Party and, above all, your friendship over so many years. You have been our finest Foreign Minister - eloquent, elegant and always courageous advancing our national interest in these challenging times.

— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) February 21, 2019