The NSW Premier Mike Baird will retire from parliament half-way through his government’s term. Just after 9am this morning, Baird shared a statement on Twitter announcing his shock resignation which will take effect after a Liberal party room meeting next week.
During a short press conference later on, he said that there is a “strong personal cost” that comes with public life and that his parents and sister Julia Baird are experiencing serious health challenges.
“There is a strong personal cost that comes in public life. I’ve probably felt that more than any other time in the past few months. My father and my mother and my sister are going through very serious health challenges and, to be honest, at times I have been in pain not being able to spend the time that I should. And this will change today,” he said.
Baird was visibly upset discussing his family’s health challenges: his father has recently undergone open-heart surgery, his mother is in 24 hours care due to muscular dystrophy and Julia Baird has experienced a recurrence of cancer.
I’m retiring from politics. It’s been an honour to serve you, NSW. pic.twitter.com/eFInOqoC19
— Mike Baird (@mikebairdMP) January 18, 2017