Paul Fletcher: Senior Liberal frontbencher announces retirement from politics

Liberal frontbencher Paul Fletcher has announced he will retire at the next election, the second senior moderate in two weeks to step down.

The Bradfield MP and the Manager of Opposition Business suffered a 12.3 per cent swing against him at the 2022 election to teal independent Nicolette Boele, with his margin narrowing to 4.2 per cent.

Ms Boele is running again for the next election - due by May - with strong support from the local community, including parts of the North Sydney electorate being taken into Bradfield under the redistribution.

Mr Fletcher in recent weeks has panned the teals as a “Green Left con job”.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Fletcher said after serving the community for 15 years, “renewal is healthy” and he would be passing the baton in a bid to keep the seat in Liberal hands.

“I expect some outstanding people will put themselves forward to be the next Liberal candidate for Bradfield, and to serve the people of Bradfield with energy and commitment. That Liberal candidate, once chosen through our party processes, will have my full support,” he said.

“While we will take nothing for granted in the campaign, the local mood is discernibly different from 2022. People want to get rid of the hopeless and chaotic Albanese Labor Government – and voting for the Liberal candidate is the only way to secure this outcome.

He said he would continue to fight to have Peter Dutton elected as Prime Minister.

“I will also keep working for the election of a Dutton Liberal Government. Two years ago, political communicators wrote off our chances of coming back anytime soon; thanks to Peter Dutton’s focus and leadership, the next election is now extremely contestable,” he said.

It follows the surprise resignation of the most senior Liberal moderate Simon Birmingham, who delivered his valedictory speech on the last sitting day of the year.

Mr Fletcher said he had plans to return to the private sector after finishing out the term and taken some time for “travel and rest”.