Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner has resigned, saying the birth of his second child made him consider his future.
Mr Gunner, 46, will continue as the Member for Fannie Bay and move to the backbench.
He made the announcement during his NT budget speech in parliament.
Mr Gunner said serving the territory as Chief Minister had been bettered by only two things – his marriage and the birth of his two young boys.
"My head and my heart are no longer here, they are at home," Mr Gunner said.
"I have grappled with this decision for some weeks and welcoming little Nash into the world sealed the deal."
Nash, his second child, was born on April 29, 2022.
His oldest son Hudson turned two in April.
Mr Gunner and his wife, ABC journalist Kristy O'Brien, married in December 2017 after meeting in 2010.
'This feels like the right time'
Mr Gunner said handing down the budget would be his final act as Chief Minister and Treasurer.
Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison will step into the top role in an acting capacity until a vote is held by the Labor caucus in the coming days for a permanent leader.
Mr Gunner said he told Ms Manison of his intentions on Friday last week, adding that the Northern Territory was "in safe hands".
"That's given me plenty of comfort as a I came to a difficult decision in recent days," he said.
"There is never a perfect time to step back, to walk away, to give others a go.
"But for me, for my family, this feels like the right time."
Mr Gunner said he could "no longer look Territorians in the eye" and say he would give "100 per cent" to the role of Chief Minister.
"I've always given a 100 per cent to this job," he said.
Mr Gunner will today attend his final engagement as the Northern Territory's Chief Minister, then take a few weeks of paternity leave.
NT could have new chief by Friday
Caucus will meet on Friday to elect a new leader.
Mr Gunner said there could be "a new chief" on Friday if the room meets a consensus, however the process could take a "month or so", if there was need for a ballot.
The change in leadership will also likely trigger a reshuffle of ministerial portfolios.
Mr Gunner did not say if he would consider other portfolios after the leadership change.
"I will support my team in any way and every way I can if they come to me," he said.
"I'm not going to nose my way into a minister's portfolio.
"But I'm not looking for other jobs. I've got a job, and it's a great job. I'm the member for Fannie Bay."
Mr Gunner was first elected in the inner Darwin seat of Fannie Bay in 2008.
He became Labor leader in 2015 and was elected Chief Minister the following year.
The 2016 election win came in a landslide, with Mr Gunner leading Labor to the largest electoral victory against a sitting government in Northern Territory history.
Mr Gunner led the party to a second term in office in August 2020, having campaigned mostly on the NT's early success avoiding widespread outbreaks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Gunner said his government's handling of COVID-19 led the nation and that he had "no regrets" over its pandemic management.
"There was no playbook for the pandemic," he said.
"We did everything we could, the best we could, all the way through it.
"I genuinely think that the territory often led the way on a lot of those things, and the nation followed. I think that we brought all our advantages to bear."
In January 2020 Mr Gunner suffered a heart attack and, shortly after, underwent cardiac surgery.
"It's no secret that the last few years have been intense," Mr Gunner said.
"It's taken a lot out of me, like it has for plenty of us
"Add to that a heart attack and a couple of kids, and it has caused me to reflect a lot over the past few weeks while preparing for this budget."
Mr Gunner was asked if he had been in negotiations over or offered a job outside of politics, which he denied.
CLP critical over Gunner's leadership
The Country Liberal Party Opposition has, throughout Mr Gunner's tenure as Chief Minister, accused him and his government of being "soft on crime", attacked his economic management and argued the Northern Territory is a less transparent jurisdiction under his watch.
More recently, the CLP accused Mr Gunner of political interference over comments he made in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Indigenous man Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when, at a large gathering Yuendumu, he said to the crowd: "consequences will flow".
In March, an NT Supreme Court jury found NT Police officer Zachary Rolfe not guilty of murder and two lesser charges in relation to the shooting.
The ICAC is currently investigating the circumstances around the arrest of Constable Rolfe four days after the shooting.
On a separate matter, Independent MLA Robyn Lambley later today said she had referred Mr Gunner to the ICAC in January 2022, over allegations election campaigning was being conducted from the Chief Minister's publicly-funded office, in the lead up to the 2020 Territory election.
"Last week I contacted the ICAC Commissioner Mr Michael Riches … and asked him a simple question: 'is this matter being investigated?'" Ms Lambley said.
"Mr Riches came back to me with an email saying 'yes'."
Commissioner Michael Riches told the ABC he had "no comment to make at this time" and did not confirm or deny Ms Lambley's claim.
Mr Gunner today said he was not under investigation for anything and has categorically denied any allegations of political interference over Constable Rolfe's arrest.
'Thank you for giving me a go'
Mr Gunner said it had been a privilege to serve in the territory's top role.
He said his own story proved that the NT was a place of "potential and possibility".
"The kid who grew up in public housing in Alice [Springs] and Tennant [Creek], who stacked shelves to get himself through uni, can serve the territory as its chief minister," Mr Gunner said.
"I'm the first territory-born chief.
"I was born here, I've worked and started a family here, I will die happy here, I love the territory.
"Thank you for giving me a go."
