NSW MP Gabrielle Upton to quit politics at the next state election

A Liberal MP representing a ritzy Sydney area where voters chose a teal independent candidate at the federal election has announced she’s quitting politics.

A Liberal state MP from Sydney’s eastern suburbs says she won’t run in next year’s election.

Former attorney-general Gabrielle Upton’s Wednesday announcement sets the stage for a heated internal contest for who should be selected as the candidate for the long-held Liberal seat of Vaucluse.

NSW voters will go to the polls next March.

Ms Upton’s electorate, which covers ultra-ritzy suburbs like Darling Point, Bellevue Hill and Vaucluse, as well as Bondi Beach, has never been held by a party other than the Liberals.

But voters in the area ditched their Liberal federal MP, Dave Sharma, in favour of teal independent candidate Allegra Spender at the May election.

Ms Upton said in a statement that quitting politics was an “exceptionally difficult decision”.

The MP, who is a parliamentary secretary to Premier Dominic Perrottet, said she was proud of that achievement as well as being the state’s first female attorney-general.

Gabrielle Upton will not run in the next state election, meaning Liberals will have to find someone else for her Vaucluse electorate. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

“I have given everything I have to this calling – my heart, energy and passion – and I have loved every minute of it,” she said.

“That said, I know in my heart that this is the right time to retire. It is the time for someone else to take my place and for me to do something new.”

Mr Perrottet thanked Ms Upton for her contributions to the government.

“The NSW government is deeply grateful to Gabrielle for her passion and commitment over more than a decade in endeavouring to make the everyday lives of the people who live in NSW better,” he said.

Ms Upton was first elected to state parliament in 2011. She will remain in the job until the March election.