Liberal MP Stuart Robert, the ex-cabinet minister who claimed "absolute responsibility" for the implementation of the illegal Robodebt scheme, will step down from politics.
The federal member for the Gold Coast seat of Fadden announced on Saturday he would retire to "focus on family", acknowledging "my time in parliament has not been the smoothest ride".
"For the last 16 years, I have to the best of my ability served the people of Fadden and the Gold Coast community," he said in a statement.
"My family have stood with me throughout this time, through thick and thin. It is now time for my family to have a husband, a father and a son to stand by them."
Mr Robert, 52, said Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had his full support.
The Coalition leader now faces another by-election weeks after a disastrous loss in the outer-Melbourne electorate of Aston, where the Liberal Party suffered a 6 per cent swing against it.
Mr Robert is currently shadow assistant treasurer, and he also served in the employment and human services roles throughout his career. He was government services minister from 2019 to March 2021.
In March this year, he told the royal commission into Robodebt he took responsibility for its implementation.
However, he also said he was "the minister to say: 'We have got to get advice to stop it now'."
The inquiry heard he had vowed to "double down" on Robodebt policy after being told it was illegal, which he denied.
In his statement, Mr Robert said he hoped "civility does eventually come to the theatre of politics", adding "I do fear division has well and truly entrenched itself in the current parliament. A kinder, gentler parliament it is not".
Dutton thanks 'central figure' in Coalition, airs confidence ahead of by-election
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton paid tribute to his long-term colleague for his years of service to the LNP and successive Coalition governments.
Asked if the Robodebt scandal would harm his legacy, Mr Dutton said Mr Robert's track record in parliament stood on its own.
"I think if you look at his 16 years in parliament, he's contributed significantly to his own local electorate in Fadden," he said.
"He's been a central figure in the Morrison Government, he has been across a number of portfolios and he's at the moment the shadow assistant treasurer, and he's done a good job in that portfolio.
"So, I think his CV speaks for itself."
The opposition leader also expressed confidence ahead of the Fadden by-election, where the Coalition will look to hold an extremely safe Liberal seat.
Fadden currently sits on a margin of more than 10 per cent, and has been held by the Liberal Party for all but one term in its history since 1977.
Mr Dutton said the party would look for a candidate who could one day play a leading role within the Coalition.
"We'll preselect somebody who understands that part of the Gold Coast, and we should be in that seat, frankly, preselecting somebody who can be a future cabinet minister or a leader of our party," he said.
"So, we will work hard with the LNP in Queensland to make sure that we do win."
'Shielding his leader'
Paul Williams, associate professor at Griffiths University, said Mr Robert was likely trying to "shield" his leader after the damaging loss in the Melbourne metropolitan seat of Aston.
"They're trying to create as fewer ripples on the pond as possible, trying to let this go through to the keeper but, of course, in the current climate, that's not going to happen," Mr Williams told ABC Gold Coast.
"The whole of Australia is going to be watching Fadden over the coming weeks and months."
Robodebt had also been "politically damaging" for the former cabinet minister, whose close ally — Scott Morrison — is now relegated to the back bench, Mr Williams said.
"It'd be hard to find two closer colleagues on either side of politics — they share the same faith base, they share the same values," he said.
"If you say that the former prime minister is on the back bench, I think you might think that there's not much future in politics left for you and I think he'd be looking to get out while he's still got what he can."
