Scott Morrison quits to join global defence firms with Mike Pompeo, Robert O’Brien

Scott Morrison will quit politics at the end of February to join global strategic and defence firms with former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and former Trump security adviser Robert O’Brien.

Scott Morrison will quit politics to join global strategic and defence firms with former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Picture: John Feder

Scott Morrison will quit politics at the end of February to join global strategic and defence firms with former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and former Trump security adviser Robert O’Brien, triggering a pre-budget federal by-­election in the southern Sydney seat of Cook.

The former Liberal leader, who took the Coalition to a “miracle” election victory in 2019, ends a 17-year parliamentary career including four years as prime minister.

Mr Morrison, architect of the AUKUS trilateral defence pact with the US and Britain, earned an international reputation for Australia’s success in navigating the health and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, his hawkish stance against Chinese coercion and as a founding member of the Quad leaders dialogue with India, Japan and the US.

He confirmed to The Australian that he had been appointed vice-chair of American Global Strategies – headed by Mr O’Brien – with a focus on US and Indo-Pacific strategic issues.

He will also join Mr Pompeo as a strategic adviser to asset management firm DYNE.

Mr Pompeo was a former CIA director.

“Prime minister Morrison is widely regarded as one of the most consequential world leaders of the last decade, presiding over unprecedented changes to Australia’s foreign and defence policies,” Mr O’Brien said. “As our non-executive vice-chairman, (he) will bring high-level relationships and unique global insights on behalf of AGS’s clients.”

Anthony Albanese called Mr Morrison on Tuesday afternoon to wish him well.

Mr Morrison said his family had made a significant “sacrifice” in supporting his political career.

Mr Morrison addresses the Liberal faithful with his wife and kids by his side after electoral victory in 2019. Picture, Sam Ruttyn

An aggressive personal campaign Labor ran against him, according to sources close to him, had taken a toll on his family.

“It has been my great privilege to represent the wonderful people of Cook for more than 16 years in our federal parliament,” Mr Morrison said. “The decision to leave is always a difficult one when you have been doing something you love and feel passionate about.

“However, I believe the timing is right to move on to a new season with my family and take on fresh challenges.

“My family have sacrificed a great deal to support my service to our country and local community as a member of parliament, minister and prime minister.

Morrison with wife Jenny and kids Lily and Abbey.

“I am grateful for their support, but the time has come for me to return to private life and support my family to pursue their goals and for us to spend more time together. I am also looking forward to being more active in my church community, outside the constraints of public office.

“I am very pleased with what I have been able to accomplish as a member of parliament, minister and prime minister.

“I am also pleased to see how the Coalition has been able to move forward in opposition after the last election, maintain the stability and unity we were able to achieve in government during my leadership with Josh Frydenberg and is performing well under Peter Dutton’s leadership.

“After having served in the parliament for more than 16 years, including almost four years as prime minister during a very challenging time for our country, now is the time to move on and enable a new member to be elected, who can bring fresh energy and a long-term commitment to serving our local community in this role.”

While colleagues cited Mr Morrison’s achievements as prime minister, including management of the pandemic and driving Australia’s unemployment rate to its lowest in 50 years, his career has also been punctuated with controversy.

Criticised for taking a holiday in Hawaii as prime minister during the 2019 bushfires, his popularity rose to record highs during the pandemic only to fall again over his government’s handling of the Brittany Higgins rape allegations. He also became a lightning rod for Labor attacks after the ­Coalition’s 2022 election loss over revelations he had secretly appointed himself to other ministerial portfolios.

Mr Morrison will this year release his first book, Plans for your Good, a political memoir and essay on his Christian faith.

He said he was looking forward to “new challenges” in global strategic advisory roles and private boards, drawn from a network established through AUKUS and the Quad, while spending more time with his family in the Shire.

The Coalition would be confident of retaining the seat of Cook, which is regarded as a conservative suburban enclave.

Liberal leader Mr Dutton paid tribute to Mr Morrison. “I want to thank Scott for his service to our nation, for his dedication to the Liberal Party, and for his personal friendship,” he said.

“In the time he led our country, Scott presided over some of the most difficult challenges an Australian prime minister has known since the Second World War; most notably Covid-19.

“Thanks to Scott’s quick decision to close the border, Australian lives were saved. And thanks to his government’s JobKeeper package, more than one million businesses were supported and more than four million Australians had their jobs saved.

Debating then-Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese in 2022. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

“But if there is a standout achievement of his government, it was the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the US. AUKUS will underpin our defence and deterrence for decades to come.”

Mr Morrison served as immigration minister and treasurer before winning a ballot for the Liberal leadership in August 2018 following a botched leadership challenge from Mr Dutton against then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

“I am thankful to all those who supported me in what we were able to achieve in government, from the early days of stopping the boats to delivering tax cuts for individuals and small business, leading Australia successfully through the global pandemic, saving lives and livelihoods, and delivering AUKUS, the single most significant defence agreement in 70 years,” Mr Morrison said.

“There will be time later to speak of these achievements and thank everyone involved, including my parliamentary colleagues, when I leave the parliament.

“As the local member for Cook, I have always been guided by the strong local values of family, community and enterprise, that make the Shire and southern Sydney such a great place to live and raise a family. This is a community that is unashamedly proud of our country, works hard, takes responsibility for itself and is generous to those around them, providing a hand up whenever and wherever it is needed.

“I have made this announcement … to give my party time to engage in an inclusive process to select a candidate for in Cook.”