Western Australian Premier, Mark McGowan, has made the bombshell announcement that he is quitting politics. Source: CPSU/CSA/Flickr
In a shock announcement, the Western Australian Premier, Mark McGowan, has announced he will be retiring from politics by the end of the week.
After calling for a press conference with only 45 minutes’ notice, McGowan (55) said he would be stepping down as both premier and Member for Rockingham by the end of this week.
“The truth is I’m tired, extremely tired. In fact, I’m exhausted,” he said during the conference, admitting that the COVID period had taken it out of him.
“Today I’m announcing I will be stepping down as Premier and as member for Rockingham. I was elected as Premier of Western Australia in March 2017, more than six years ago,” he said.
“I served as Opposition Leader for five years; I have held the privileged position of WA labour leader for around 11 and a half years.”
“I have served in Parliament for 26 years as either Premier, Opposition Leader, Minister Shadow Minister Parliamentary Secretary and of course, as the member for Rockingham.”
“This job is like no other, after seven elections across nearly three decades, now is the right time to step away from the job that I have loved. Therefore, I will be resigning as Premier and member for Rockingham.”
McGowan is far from the only politician to feel the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic; New Zealand’s now ex-Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern resigned in February, citing similar reasons.
Under Mark McGowan’s leadership, WA Labor won state’s 2017 election in a landslide victory over long-time Liberal Premier, Colin Barnett.
McGowan’s party was re-elected in 2021 in an incredible victory, earning 53 of WA’s 59 seats, with the public likely feeling WA Labor’s strict response to the COVID-19 pandemic as the most effective out of all the state governments.
The next WA election is expected in March 2025.
As WA Treasurer, he also recently handed down the state’s budget, delivering an impressive surplus of $3.3 billion, largely thanks to the state strong resources industry.
“It has been an honour and privilege to serve the people of the state in my community over this time,” said McGowan.
“It is way beyond what I could ever have imagined my career would amount to.”
He told of how becoming the premier of Western Australia was something he had never dreamed of happening after he moved to the state from New South Wales.
