Morrison points to 'new challenges' in new roles as plans to quit Parliament

In a long-awaited move, the former prime minister and self-described bulldozer, Mr Morrison, announced he would retire from politics at the end of next month in order to take up various global strategic advisory roles and private board roles.

Mr Dutton thanked his predecessor for his leadership of the country throughout challenges such as COVID-19, dedication to the Liberal Party and personal friendship.

"Thanks to Scott's quick decision to close the border, Australian lives were saved," Mr Dutton said.

"And thanks to his government's JobKeeper package, more than 1 million businesses were supported and more than 4 million Australians had their jobs saved."

Infamous for the secret-ministries scandal, the 55-year-old became the first former prime minister to be censured by the Parliament.

He remains defiant about his actions to this day, insisting he hid the five extra portfolios from the public as he was facing an unprecedented crisis leading the nation through the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time of the censure, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Mr Morrison of an "abuse of power and a trashing of our democracy".

Mr Morrison was also adversely named in the robodebt royal commission report, released last year.

The report found he had allowed cabinet to be misled on the legality of the income averaging scheme while he was social services minister, from December 2014 to September 2015.

Mr Morrison rejected the findings, saying they were "wrong, unsubstantiated and contradicted by clear documentary evidence presented to the commission".

But Mr Dutton recognised AUKUS as Mr Morrison's defining achievement.

The former prime minister secured - in a legacy move that slashed a standing contract with France - the trilateral AUKUS security pact with the United States and the United Kingdom to deliver nuclear-powered submarines.

"AUKUS will underpin our defence and deterrence for decades to come," the Opposition Leader said.

Known by the nickname ScoMo, Mr Morrison posted to social media on Tuesday to inform voters of his impending retirement from the federal Sydney seat of Cook at the end of February.

"... After more than 16 years as the member for Cook, I have decided to leave Parliament at the end of February to take on new challenges in the global corporate sector and spend more time with my family," he wrote on social media.

"I am extremely grateful to my family, friends, local community and local party members and supporters in Cook for their incredible support during this time, that has enabled me to serve my country at the highest level and make Australia a stronger, more secure and more prosperous country.

"It has been a great honour to serve as the member for Cook and as prime minister."

Canberra has swirled with speculation over when Australia's 30^th prime minister would leave Federal Parliament since his defeat at the 2022 election.

In a four-page statement distributed by his Cook electorate office, Mr Morrison said he was moving on to make space for "a new member to be elected who can bring fresh energy and a long-term commitment to serving our local community in this role".

He will now work across "a series of global strategic advisory roles and private boards, focused on the US and Indo-Pacific". The statement did not provide further details on the roles. He also plans to release a memoir, titled Plans for Your Good, in May this year.

The decision by the former prime minister triggers a byelection for Cook and comes mid-way into the first term of the Albanese Labor government.

There was a 6.6 per cent swing to the ALP candidate Simon Earle at the 2022 poll, but Mr Morrison held Cook for the Liberal Party on a safe margin of 12.4 per cent.

It appears Mr Morrison intends to stay in the electorate, despite the overseas role.

"I now look forward to continue to enjoying local life here in the Shire and my church community at Horizon with my family and friends, and as always #upupcronulla," he ended his post on Tuesday.

While former prime minister Tony Abbott, and senior Liberal Party figures including Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor praised Mr Morrison, including for his victory in the "unwinnable" 2019 election, reactions across the aisle were frostier.

Labor Member for Perth Patrick Gorman posted to social media that "Secret Ministries ScoMo is set to leave Parliament", without further comment on the former prime minister.

The party's Member for Fenner, Andrew Leigh, posted a screenshot of a resignation speech he suggested Mr Morrison give, which criticised his handling of climate change, inequality, housing and mental health.

Member for Bruce Julian Hill simply posted: "Bye bye Scotty from Marketing," reviving the popular satirical nickname for Mr Morrison, a former managing director of Tourism Australia, responsible for the infamous "Where The Bloody Hell Are You?" campaign.

During the 2022 election campaign, Mr Morrison was accused by various politicians including One Nation leader Pauline Hanson as a bully, but during the later days of the election campaign Mr Morrison came clean. He admitted he was a "bit of a bulldozer" and promised to change the way he governed if he was elected.

He blamed the COVID pandemic for appearing too strong, but it was all too late.

Mr Morrison, also a former NSW Liberal director, presented himself as a Coalition strongman, responsible for Operation Sovereign Borders as immigration minister in the Abbott government and later as minister for social services where he implemented the robodebt scheme.

He became treasurer in the Turnbull government and, when the Liberal leadership was spilled in 2018, he won in a contest between Peter Dutton, Julie Bishop and himself.

The former prime minister has started out on the potentially lucrative international speaking tour and last year joined the board of advisers of the Centre for New American Security, a bipartisan think tank focused on defence.

Mr Morrison's political ally and friend Stuart Robert announced his resignation earlier this year. The by-election for the division of Fadden in Queensland was won by the Coalition's Cameron Cadwell on July 15.

Mr Morrison detailed the sacrifices made by his family for his job, in his electorate office statement.

"I am grateful for their support, but the time has come for me to return to private life and support my family to pursue their goals and for us to spend more time together as a family," he said.

"I am also looking forward to being more active in my church community, outside the constraints of public office".

His statement praised the local community in his southern Sydney electorate, noting that he "greatly appreciated the opportunity to return to our family home in the Shire and my work as a local MP in the Cook electorate" following his government's defeat at the last election.

The former prime minister continued that the Coalition was "performing well" under Mr Dutton.

"I am also pleased to see how the Coalition has been able to move forward in Opposition after the last election, maintain the stability and unity we were able to achieve in government during my leadership with Josh Frydenberg and is performing well under Peter Dutton's leadership."

He thanked his local Liberal Party members and supporters, including local party conference chairs Michael Douglas and Scott Briggs, and Liberal parliamentary and council members Jenny Ware, David Coleman, Mark Speakman, Eleni Petinos, and Carmelo Pesce.