Birmingham bows out of politics warning against Trumpian culture wars

Retiring opposition Senate leader Simon Birmingham has urged the Coalition to avoid divisive culture wars in an impassioned defence of small-l Liberal values.

In a surprise move that leaves Opposition Leader Peter Dutton without a foreign affairs spokesman months out from an election, Birmingham called a meeting of his party colleagues mid-afternoon to reveal his plans to retire by the end of the year after 17 years in parliament.

He said he would shift to the private sector, handing over the Senate leadership to right faction frontbencher Michaelia Cash.

“Those on the harder edges of the left and the right, who seek to divide our country, only make us weaker,” Birmingham said in a Senate valedictory speech that railed against Trumpian populism.

“Little is gained by culture wars – politicians obsessing over what happens in private bedrooms, or anyone seeking to override evidence-based medical practice. I am a proud liberal, of the John Stuart Mill tradition, preferring less government intervention in both the economy and our personal lives.”

Dutton must replace Birmingham in the prestigious foreign affairs portfolio before the next election as the Coalition campaigns on staunch support for Israel in the Middle East.

Simon Birmingham makes his valedictory speech.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Sussan Ley, Jane Hume, James Paterson and Dan Tehan were put forward by colleagues as potential replacements, though Tehan is keen to stay in immigration. Hume (finance) and Paterson (home affairs) are also in key domestic portfolios. Dutton could use the retirement to make more changes and replace retiring assistant shadow ministers Gavin Pearce, Nola Marino and Hollie Hughes.

Birmingham’s teary young daughter was hugged by his wife, Courtney, in the public gallery as the senator praised Dutton, who was in the Senate to watch the valedictory, as a leader who understood radical politics were toxic in Australia. The Liberal leader recently shut down a debate on abortion rights.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Birmingham’s Senate sparring partner, government Senate leader Penny Wong, lauded the South Australian for being an articulate and earnest politician as he implored Liberals to trumpet free-market and pro-immigration policies.

Birmingham argued Australian attitudes hewed towards the middle ground rather than the fringes and that major parties forgot this “at their peril”.

Simon Birmingham and Peter Dutton hug after the former announced his retirement from politics.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

He explained that he did not always agree with Dutton but believed the Coalition leader understood the need to win over mainstream voters as someone who was “thoroughly decent [with] a perspective in touch with many hard-working Australians”.

“It is not necessary to target one another and personalise debates to advance the issues important to you. It is not necessary to undermine the principles and practices at this Senate to advance the issues important to you,” Birmingham said.

The opposition leader hugged Birmingham after the speech as politicians across the spectrum applauded the senator’s career.

Birmingham’s departure will diminish the power of the more centrist moderate grouping within the Coalition, whose numbers dwindled when six inner-city Liberals lost their seats to teals in 2022. Jane Hume, Paul Fletcher and Andrew Bragg are top moderate figures.

Birmingham was criticised privately by some moderate allies over the years for failing to argue more forcefully against conservatives in shadow cabinet. Some of his right-wing colleagues felt Birmingham lacked the political firepower to tackle Labor.

Wong said he had often displayed kindness and an ability to rise above the fray.

“He is a thoroughly decent person,” Wong said.

Cash will become the opposition leader in the Senate. Anne Ruston will become the deputy, moving up from the manager of opposition business. Frontbencher Jonathon Duniam will lead opposition business.

Dutton said Birmingham would have become one of Australia’s best foreign ministers. His resignation will set off an intense preselection contest in the faction-riven South Australian Liberal division dominated by right-wing forces attached to Senator Alex Antic.

Simon Birmingham’s life in politics

• June 14, 1974: Born in Adelaide
• Grew up near Gawler on family horse agistment property
• Completed MBA at the University of Adelaide
• 1995-97: Worked as electorate officer for Howard government minister Robert Hill
• 1997-2000: Worked as ministerial adviser to former SA state MP Joan Hall
• Between 2000 and 2007: Stints with lobbyists the Australian Hotels Association and the Winemakers Federation of Australia
• 2007: Became senator for SA, replacing Jeannie Ferris on a casual vacancy in May before being elected in his own right later that year
• 2014: Appointed assistant minister for education and training in Abbott ministry
• 2015: Became minister for education and training in the Turnbull government
• 2017: Made manager of government business in the Senate
• 2018: Appointed minister for trade, tourism and investment and deputy leader of the government in the Senate in Morrison government
• 2020: Appointed minister for finance and leader of the government in the Senate
• 2022: Appointed opposition spokesman for foreign affairs and leader of the opposition in the Senate
• Married to Courtney Morcombe, with daughters Matilda and Amelia

“He has stood steadfastly with Israel and been a voice of moral courage and clarity at a time when our ally has been treated by some as an adversary. And he has nurtured and cultivated relationships which are central to the endeavours of AUKUS,” Dutton said in a statement.

Birmingham came into parliament in 2007, replacing former senator Jeannie Ferris on a casual vacancy in May and was elected in his own right that year.

He entered the ranks of the shadow outer ministry, promoted by then-opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull two years later. Birmingham entered the cabinet under Turnbull during his prime ministership and successfully landed a landmark funding deal while education minister. He later held the trade and tourism portfolios and then the finance ministry.

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