Dominic Perrottet announces his retirement from politics

Former New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced his retirement from politics after 13 years in the state’s parliament, aged just 41.

“I love New South Wales,” he said in a statement. “It has been an absolute honour to represent the eight million people who call this great state home, especially as its 46th Premier.”

The move comes just over a week after he was spotted having coffee with former Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

A Liberal source said at the time that Perrottet was “days away” from resigning from his post.

The former Liberal leaders were seen deep in conversation last week at the Little Jardin Café, connected to the Sydney Eye Hospital.

Later in the day, a senior Liberal source said the Epping MP had landed a job in the private sector.

Mr Perrottet will lead mining giant BHP’s new Washington DC office as head of corporate affairs.

“I got into politics to promote ideas and new ways of thinking and I am proud to have been part of a government that left New South Wales in a much better place than we found it,” he said.

Speculation about Perrottet’s career intensified following the resignation of his former deputy and ex-NSW Treasurer Matt Kean.

Mr Kean ended his 13-year term as MP for Hornsby saying he wanted to explore private sector opportunities in renewable energy and climate.

Days later he appeared alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who announced him as the new chair of the Climate Change Authority, in a move that angered some of his former Coalition colleagues.

The departure of Mr Kean and Mr Perrottet will trigger by-elections in safe Liberal seats.

Mr Perrottet was first elected to state parliament as the member for Castle Hill in 2011, before representing the Liberal Party as MP for Hawkesbury and then Epping in 2019.

Before succeeding Gladys Berejiklian as Premier of New South Wales, he was state treasurer and also oversaw the finance and industrial relations portfolios.