Former human services minister Alan Tudge officially resigned from Parliament on Thursday, effecting a byelection that will be a critical test for Peter Dutton’s Liberal leadership amid slumping popularity.
In a speech to the lower house after news of his plans broke earlier on Thursday, Mr Tudge said the toll on his family after recent media scrutiny and the recent death of his father pushed him into making the decision in January, long before Parliament reconvened this week.
“It’s not been an easy decision for me but it is necessary for my health and for my family, among other reasons,” he said.
“I certainly have not taken this decision lightly. My daughters, who are 18 and 16, no nothing other than their dad being away.
“They’ve had to put up with things that no teenager should have to, including death threats. The most recent of which was last week.”
Mr Tudge – who had not been in Parliament this week until Thursday – kept his tone upbeat throughout his valedictory but his composure wavered when he came to thank his family for their support during his career in public life.
A former adviser to Liberal ministers Brendan Nelson and Alexander Downer, Mr Tudge entered Parliament as the MP for the eastern Melbourne seat of Aston in 2010.
“He’s been a champion on behalf of his [electorate],” Peter Dutton said.
Mr Dutton said Mr Tudge had been a champion of public policy and initiatives for indigenous Australians.
His resignation takes effect from next week.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the manner in which Mr Tudge had left Parliament and by announcing his departure in a speech, which he said reflected his respect for the institution.
“We have political differences, and I’m not going to including about some elements of his service, and there is no point gilding the lily there and he wouldn’t want me to either, but I thank him for his service in this house,” the PM said.
“I thank him for the sacrifices that are made to serve in this house.”
Mr Tudge, a member of the Liberals’ conservative wing, said reforming the school curriculum to present a “more positive” view of Australia counted as among his greatest achievements.
His private life and ministerial judgment have come in for serious media scrutiny for more than a year, since the ABC’s 4 Corners revealed his consensual affair with his former media adviser, Rachelle Miller.
Ms Miller later alleged she had been subjected to physical and emotional abuse during the pair’s romantic relationship.
Mr Tudge denied those claims vehemently; he was cleared by a government inquiry in which Ms Miller declined to participate because she said it would not be impartial.
She responded to his resignation on Thursday with a tweet.
“Politics is brutal. I saw its impact on people, and I live with that impact still,” she wrote.
“I tried to support Alan through the most stressful of times. I hope he seeks the help he needs for his health, and more time with his family. I wish him peace.”
Last week, Mr Tudge appeared at the royal commission into the robodebt scandal, denying responsibility for the disgraced Centrelink scheme.
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Former prime minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to his former cabinet colleague on Thursday, in a statement to The Australian newspaper.
“Alan is one of the most capable people I have ever served with. His ability to develop policy and get on top of issues was a great asset to the many government’s he served in, including mine,” Mr Morrison said.
There was excited speculation on Thursday that the byelection could pave the way for former treasurer Josh Frydenberg to mount a political comeback. That notion was soon scotched by senior Liberals – and a source close to Mr Frydenberg.
Aston is one of the last standing Liberal enclaves in broader metropolitan Melbourne after the party’s ranks were severely diminished following a rout across the city at last May’s federal election. It hangs on a margin of only 2.8 per cent.
The outer suburban seat has a large Indian population and Victorian Liberals have fallen in behind two high-profile women named by party sources as the leading contenders.
One is Ranjana Srivastava, a Harvard-educated oncologist who works for Monash Health. She is also a widely published essayist and a columnist for The Guardian.
Barrister and City of Melbourne councillor Roshena Campbell, a columnist for The Age newspaper, is another early contender with support in a party with only nine women MPs in the lower house.
