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| New South Wales premier Mike Baird announces retirement | New South Wales premier Mike Baird announces retirement |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The New South Wales premier, Mike Baird, has announced his retirement from the premiership and from parliament, effective from next week. | The New South Wales premier, Mike Baird, has announced his retirement from the premiership and from parliament, effective from next week. |
| Premier since April 2014, Baird announced his unexpected departure in a statement issued Thursday morning, saying, “I have decided that this is the perfect time for me to hand the reins over to a new premier.” | Premier since April 2014, Baird announced his unexpected departure in a statement issued Thursday morning, saying, “I have decided that this is the perfect time for me to hand the reins over to a new premier.” |
| His retirement surprised senior colleagues who consider treasurer, Gladys Berejiklian, the obvious successor. Baird spoke to the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, on Thursday morning. | His retirement surprised senior colleagues who consider treasurer, Gladys Berejiklian, the obvious successor. Baird spoke to the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, on Thursday morning. |
| “Serving as premier of NSW has been a tremendous honour, but I have made clear from the beginning that I was in politics to make a difference, and then move on. After 10 years in public life, this moment for me has arrived. | “Serving as premier of NSW has been a tremendous honour, but I have made clear from the beginning that I was in politics to make a difference, and then move on. After 10 years in public life, this moment for me has arrived. |
| “I am immensely proud of what Barry O’Farrell and I – together with Andrew Stoner, Troy Grant, John Barilaro and our teams – have achieved over the past six years. | “I am immensely proud of what Barry O’Farrell and I – together with Andrew Stoner, Troy Grant, John Barilaro and our teams – have achieved over the past six years. |
| “We have repaired the state budget, rejuvenated the economy, created jobs in unprecedented numbers, boosted frontline services and unleashed an infrastructure boom in Sydney and the regions, which everyone can see with their own eyes.” | “We have repaired the state budget, rejuvenated the economy, created jobs in unprecedented numbers, boosted frontline services and unleashed an infrastructure boom in Sydney and the regions, which everyone can see with their own eyes.” |
| The NSW parliamentary Liberal party will hold a party room meeting next week at which all leadership positions will be spilled. Baird will also resign next week as the member for Manly, the seat he has held since entering parliament in 2007. | |
| Turnbull thanked Baird for his “remarkable leadership”. Turnbull wished him the best and thanked him for showing remarkable leadership to get NSW moving again, particularly through building infrastructure. | Turnbull thanked Baird for his “remarkable leadership”. Turnbull wished him the best and thanked him for showing remarkable leadership to get NSW moving again, particularly through building infrastructure. |
| Australia’s ambassador to the US and former federal liberal minister Joe Hockey paid tribute on Twitter. | Australia’s ambassador to the US and former federal liberal minister Joe Hockey paid tribute on Twitter. |
| The former NSW Liberal premier Nick Greiner told Fairfax Media it was disappointing for the state of NSW, but good for government in that it was a shift away from “lifetime politicians”. | |
| “I think Mike is genuinely not a political animal. In this day and age that’s very unusual. He’s genuinely not in it for the politics,” Greiner said. “He was interested in what he could deliver. It’s a counter to the professionalisation of politics, which the public doesn’t like.” | |
| Baird, a former investment banker, assumed the premiership in April 2014 after his successor Barry O’Farrell resigned over an ICAC scandal, and led the NSW Liberal-National Coalition to victory in the 2015 election. | Baird, a former investment banker, assumed the premiership in April 2014 after his successor Barry O’Farrell resigned over an ICAC scandal, and led the NSW Liberal-National Coalition to victory in the 2015 election. |
| However, controversies over his plan to ban greyhound racing in NSW, since dumped, and Sydney’s lockout laws to reduce night-time violence have dogged his current term. | However, controversies over his plan to ban greyhound racing in NSW, since dumped, and Sydney’s lockout laws to reduce night-time violence have dogged his current term. |
| I'm retiring from politics. It's been an honour to serve you, NSW. pic.twitter.com/eFInOqoC19 | I'm retiring from politics. It's been an honour to serve you, NSW. pic.twitter.com/eFInOqoC19 |