Former human services minister Alan Tudge officially resigned from Parliament on Thursday, effecting a byelection that will be a critical test for Peter Dutton’s Liberal leadership amid slumping popularity.
In a speech to the lower house after news of his plans broke earlier on Thursday, Mr Tudge said the toll on his family after recent media scrutiny and the recent death of his father pushed him into making the decision in January, long before Parliament reconvened this week.
