The ABC has confirmed that Mr Hunt is set to formally announce his resignation from government today. Mr Hunt has served in parliament for over 20 years.
Recent reporting by the Australian Financial Review claims that Mr Hunt is to formally announce today that he will not re-contest his Victorian seat of Flinders at the next election.
Speaking on the matter, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg responded that Mr Hunt was his closest friend in parliament.
For some inside and out of parliament the decision to not contest is unexpected. When recently questioned about his political next steps on the ABC’s Insiders program, Mr Hunt alluded to seeking a further term.
On the program Mr Hunt conveyed that for the 2022 election he was “pre-selected and running”.
With a consistent re-election history, Mr Hunt has held the Flinders seat since 2001.
In the most recent election of 2019, he retained and held the seat by a margin of 5.6%.
The current sitting week is to be the last for 2021 and is set to be a busy one as more than one long-standing politician readies to exit parliament. Mr Hunt’s announcement comes fresh on the heels of Christian Porter’s to quit politics.
While the current sitting week in parliament is the last for 2021, it may also be the last before the commencement of the upcoming federal election due to be conducted by May 21, 2022.
