Controversial Labor MP Michael Danby has announced he will retire at the next election, saying he is leaving at a time of his choosing and citing the need for “renewal”.
Danby, a Labor right MP representing the inner-city seat of Melbourne Ports, is famous for his staunch support of Israel, including the use of taxpayer money to fund advertisements attacking the ABC’s coverage of Israel and Palestine.
Danby had a scare in the 2016 election, winning the seat with a primary vote of just 27% and being pushed over the line by Greens preferences.
Melbourne Ports – a three-cornered contest with the Greens and the Liberals – is likely to be targeted by all three at the next election, and before Danby’s announcement, it was regarded as the only Labor-held seat it was likely to lose in Victoria.
At least three candidates are in contention for preselection: councillor Mary Delahunty, former Danby staffer Josh Burns, who ran in the state seat of Caulfield in 2014, and Nick Dyrenfurth, the executive director of the left-leaning John Curtin Research Centre.
The Labor right is also likely to send another MP to Canberra after the creation of a new seat in Melbourne’s west. Bill Shorten is still considering whether to recontest the seat of Maribyrnong but is said to be leaning towards moving to the new seat of Fraser, 40% of which was carved from his current seat.
In a statement, Danby said he had made the decision despite the fact Labor has “committed to re-endorse sitting members”, which he foreshadowed in February and was interpreted as a sign he intended to dig in and recontest the seat.
“I have made this decision ... because I believe it’s time for renewal,” Danby said on Thursday.
“It has been an absolute honour to serve the people of this electorate for two decades and I will be always grateful for the opportunity.”
Shorten paid tribute to Danby, thanking him for his “20 years of service to the parliament” and “lifetime of service to the labour movement”.
“Michael’s colleagues and his constituents know him as a champion for the arts and a true friend of Israel,” the Labor leader said. “Throughout his career Michael has always put fidelity to these principles ahead of any consideration of narrow political self-interest.
“Michael Danby has never cut his cloth to suit the fashion of the moment. He has always been his own man and at the next election, he leaves politics on his own terms. I respect that and I will miss him.”
Danby was briefly the parliamentary secretary for the arts in 2013, was opposition whip from 2001 to 2007, and served stints on parliamentary committees for intelligence and security, electoral matters, foreign affairs, defence and trade. He is currently the deputy chair of the joint standing committee on treaties.
In January Danby’s position was weakened by leaks revealing he had used taxpayer money for trips to Queensland with his wife during which he conducted no parliamentary business.
Danby said this was the result of “administrative errors” and had been rectified before the media reports. He denied he had misused taxpayer funds.
Danby exited with a flourish, quoting Edward Kennedy: “The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die.
“I believe Australia is fundamentally a tolerant and caring country, and I depart politics urging the next generation of federal representatives to work assiduously to uphold the values of pluralism, diversity, ingenuity, and sheer hard work that have served this country so well.”
