After almost sixteen years, it remains a privilege to serve the people of Oxley in the NSW Parliament and I am humbled to have had the opportunity over the past twelve years to lead the NSW Nationals – the only party that truly represents regional NSW.

Serving as a Member of Parliament requires our families and loved ones to make many sacrifices. For Members representing regional electorates, this includes many nights away from home. In the next phase of my life, I look forward to spending more time with my wife Cathy and our children on the State’s magnificent Mid North Coast.

This decision is made easier by the knowledge that the leadership of the NSW Government is in the safe hands of my friend, Premier Mike Baird. Mike is an honest and courageous leader and, with his team, will continue to deliver effective, energetic and responsible policies for our State.

Equally, the future of the NSW Nationals is a bright one. The NSW Nationals now represent nineteen regional electorates and in the Upper House we have seven legislative councillors fighting for the interests of the regions. We have recently welcomed a dynamic core of new members who will take the party forward and ensure future governments continue to make regional NSW a great place to live, work and bring up a family.

While the job of an MP is never done, I look back on my last nearly sixteen years as an MP and I am proud of what I have delivered for the people of Oxley and the state of NSW, especially those who live in regional communities.

We conducted Australia’s first ever community preselection in Tamworth in 2010, we defeated the independent movement at the Northern Tablelands by-election in 2013. With a total of seven Nationals Ministers around the Cabinet table and twenty-six parliamentarians, we have put regional NSW back at the heart of Government in NSW.

In just under four years of government, we are rebuilding regional NSW with more than $13 billion of infrastructure projects, including the State’s first inland dam in over 30 years, over $1.5 billion for better hospitals and investing $1 billion more each year to build safer roads. Since being elected to government in 2011, there are now more than 2,200 additional nurses, teachers and police on the front line in regional NSW.

Tomorrow at a meeting of the NSW Nationals parliamentary team, I will declare my position as Leader of the NSW Nationals vacant, so the party can elect a new leader and Deputy Premier.

The Premier has indicated to me that in the interest of stability and continuity, he would like to keep the same cabinet until the election, and I am more than happy to continue serving in my current roles until that point.

Whilst a part of me wants to stay in Government to achieve more positive reform for the people of NSW, the time has come, after almost sixteen years, to put my family first. I have no job lined up, and I am not under any cloud. I simply need to be there for my family.

I would like to thank my constituents in Oxley, my current and former colleagues, members and supporters of the NSW Nationals and my hard working staff for their support and guidance throughout my career.

And most importantly I would like to thank my wife Cathy and children for their love and support.