Former NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay to resign from parliament

Former NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay has announced she will resign from state parliament.

The shock announcement is set to trigger a by-election for her seat of Strathfield and comes just months after she stepped down from her role as NSW Labor leader.

In a statement, Ms McKay advised on Sunday she had informed the Speaker of the NSW parliament and current Labor leader Chris Minns of her intention to step down.

“It was an honour to be the first ever NSW Labor leader democratically elected by Party members. As Leader I championed internal reform to rebuild trust in our Party and make it more accountable,” she said.

“I also sought to rebuild Labor’s relationship with rural and regional NSW and to show that Labor was not simply a party of the city.”

Ms McKay reminisced on her most “joyous parts” of reaching out to NSW’s multicultural communities and joining in their religious and cultural celebrations.

Her announcement brings an end to a career spanning more than 15 years in NSW politics.

In her statement, Ms McKay said she would miss her colleagues, staff and members along with the “groups and individuals” in the “diverse, beautiful electorate of Strathfield”.

“I have always been true to myself and my principles and have stood up for what is right, regardless of the consequences,” she said on Sunday.

Ms McKay, who was re-elected to the seat of Strathfield in 2015, won the ballot for the Labor leadership in 2019.

She resigned as Labor leader in May, at the time blaming internal destabilising from colleagues in the party.

Ms McKay had faced criticism after Labor suffered a bruising defeat in the Upper Hunter by-election, with some speculating about her leadership.