McCully to retire next year
Lotu-Iiga, Foss and now McCully. Who's next?
Foreign Minister Murray McCully is the most recent of a string of MP to announce their impending departure from politics.
Mr McCully has revealed he won’t be contesting next year’s election.
“In light of the upcoming cabinet reshuffle, I want to be clear I will not be a nominee for the National Party list,” he told media this afternoon.
Mr McCully’s announcement follows Statistics and Small Business Minister Craig Foss and Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga revealing they would not contest next year’s election either.
The foreign minister has been in Parliament since 1987 and has held the foreign affairs portfolio since 2008.
Mr McCully has faced wide criticism for the way he handled the Saudi sheep farm saga.
In February, he announced he was not going to contest the East Coast Bays electorate next year – a seat he has held for almost 30 years.
At the time, he said he might seek re-election in 2017 as a list MP.
Prime Minister Bill English told media on Monday he would announce his new cabinet on Sunday and ministers would be sworn in on Tuesday.
Political commentator Matthew Hooton has questioned whether Mr English will keep Mr McCully on until the election or appoint a new foreign minister on Sunday.
Jason Walls
Thu, 15 Dec 2016
Thu, 15 Dec 2016
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McCully to retire next year
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