Key points
- The more than two decades Duniam’s spent in politics have “taken a toll” on his family.
- The senator rejected claims his decision was influenced by One Nation’s rising popularity.
A prominent member of the Liberal Party has announced his decision to retire from federal politics, assuring that the move was not influenced by the party’s declining poll numbers. Jonathon Duniam, who serves as the Opposition’s spokesperson for Home Affairs, has chosen not to run again for his Senate seat representing Tasmania, planning to step down from his parliamentary role before the conclusion of 2026.
At 43 years old, Duniam expressed his desire to withdraw from his political career after a decade in federal parliament. His primary motivation is to devote more time to his family, particularly his three children, a commitment he feels is long overdue.
“After dedicating 10 years to federal politics, on top of 15 years involved in various political roles, I have spent a total of 25 years in this demanding field,” Duniam shared with reporters in Hobart on Sunday. “The long hours and frequent absences from home have inevitably impacted my family life.”
He further elaborated, “This position has been a significant responsibility, consuming a substantial amount of my time and energy.” As Duniam prepares to leave the political arena, he emphasizes the personal toll his career has taken and the importance of reclaiming time with his loved ones.
“This job has been a very serious one, and as a result, has taken up a lot of time and a lot of energy.
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“It is odd to fight hard to get in. It’s even odder when you fight harder to stay and then to pull up stumps.
“When family come into it, you can’t think twice about it. Your priorities become very, very clear.”
‘One of their biggest and brightest’
The loss of senator Duniam was another blow for the Liberal Party, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said.
“The Liberal Party lose one of their best and brightest when he leaves the parliament,” he told Sky News on Sunday.
Senator Duniam said poll numbers had not influenced his decision to retire, despite a surge in One Nation’s primary vote placing the party ahead of Labor and the Coalition.
“This is something that we’ve been weighing up, and my team, my colleagues in Canberra, trusted friends know that I’ve been weighing this up for a while,” he said.
“A good friend of mine told me graveyards are full of indispensable people and at the end of the day, someone else is going to take my place.”
Senator Duniam first entered federal politics at the 2016 election, when he became the only new Tasmanian member of the upper house.
He came to Canberra after previously serving as an adviser to former Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz, and later as a deputy chief of staff to Tasmanian premier Will Hodgman.
He served as an assistant minister for forestry and fisheries in Scott Morrison’s government and later held the opposition spokesman role for the portfolio following the Liberals’ 2022 election defeat.
Senator Duniam became the opposition home affairs spokesman after Angus Taylor took over as opposition leader in February.
He said his long lead time for his retirement would allow a successor to build up a profile before the next election, which must be held before May 2028.
“I discussed my decision with Angus some time ago and he has asked me to continue for a short period of time to complete work on our immigration policies,” he said.
“Now is the right time for my party to choose new Senate team members who will carry forward the fight for Tasmania and for the values in which the Liberal Party believes.”
Fellow Tasmanian Liberal Wendy Askew announced her retirement earlier in June, with political operative Brad Stansfield saying he would stand for pre-selection.
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