Stephen Jones to leave parliament

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Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones is set to leave politics in a fourth departure from the Albanese government as it heads to the federal election, surprising colleagues with the news before parliament resumes next week.

Jones, a senior member of the Labor Left and a longstanding supporter of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, plans to announce his resignation in his electorate on Thursday morning.

The decision comes as Jones seeks support in parliament for changes to superannuation and a new regime to crack down on financial scams while also heading into the federal budget scheduled for March 25.

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones unveiled the government’s anti-scam laws in October.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Colleagues said the resignation appeared to be due to personal factors, including Jones’ marriage last year to a long-term friend, leading him to choose a life outside politics.

Jones worked as the national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union from 1993 and rose to become its national secretary for five years until 2010, when he entered parliament.

He holds the NSW seat of Whitlam, which covers parts of the Illawarra and Southern Highlands, which he won with 60.1 per cent of the vote in two-party terms at the last election.

Former Indigenous Australians minister Linda Burney and former skills minister Brendan O’Connor left the cabinet last July but have remained in parliament on the backbench until the election, allowing for a smooth transition to replace them in the ministry and find Labor candidates for their seats.

Former government services minister Bill Shorten said last September he would leave government and took up a new post as vice chancellor of the University of Canberra this month. He has left parliament, and his seat will be filled at the general election, avoiding the need for a byelection.

More to come.

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