New South Wales MP Andrew Constance will quit state politics to run at the next federal election.
The ABC understands the Transport Minister will make the announcement this afternoon, when he will also confirm he will not contest the NSW Liberal leadership.
Instead, he will run for the federal seat of Gilmore on the state’s south coast.
Rumours were swirling for some time that Mr Constance would be running for a seat in the next federal election, and he was tipped to contest the traditionally Liberal seat.
Gilmore was held by the Liberals for over 20 years until the last election, when Labor’s Fiona Phillips won it against Warren Mundine.
Mr Constance’s announcement comes just two days after premier Gladys Berejiklian’s sudden resignation.
Ms Berejiklian announced she was stepping down as premier, and leaving parliament, an hour after the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) announced she was the subject of an investigation.
Mr Constance was considered an outside chance to replace Ms Berejiklian, but was not expected to have enough support from his colleagues.
He mounted a failed bid to transition to federal politics last year, when he sought pre-selection for the seat of Eden Monaro after MP Mike Kelly resigned.
He abandoned that plan less than 24 hours after putting his hand up, saying he needed to remain focused on the bushfire recovery in his electorate, and be “grateful for the opportunities I already have”.
More to come.
