Former minister and veteran senator Stephen Conroy has mysteriously resigned from parliament.
Senator Conroy tabled a resignation speech on Thursday just before 9pm (AEST) but did not read it.
Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman Tanya Plibersek on Friday was surprised when asked about the resignation, but declined to comment, saying she was set to meet Senator Conroy later today.
Senator Conroy has been in parliament for 20 years and is the Opposition's Leader in the Senate, and spokesman on issues of state.
His heartfelt speech tabled the reason for his resignation, which centered around spending time with his nine-year-old daughter Isabella.
"When you resent being in Canberra because you are missing your daughter's soccer training it is time to retire from the federal parliament."
"When you resent being in Canberra because you are missing your daughter's soccer training it is time to retire from the federal parliament," he said.
"It's time for me to hang up my boots as captain of the parliamentary Soccer team and spend more time teaching Isabella soccer tricks."
He thanked several current and former colleagues during his speech, including former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Kim Beazley, who he called the "greatest prime minister Australia never had".
“I would also like to acknowledge the privilege it was to serve Australia's first female prime minister, my friend Julia Gillard,” he said.
“I will miss my friends and colleagues terribly - our Saturday morning chats, our Sunday night plane trips, our Wednesday night dinners.
“All made the burden of being away from our families a little more bearable."
Senator Conroy, who entered the Senate in 1996, was the minister for communications in the Rudd and Gillard goverments, said there was "nothing more fulfilling and no greater privilege" than to be in government that pushed technological initiatives, and said introducing the National Broadband Network was as his "greatest contribution".
"The concept and plan for the NBN enabled me to meet some truly extraordinary people who have all been deeply involved in the internet debate," he said.
"As I look around caucus today, I see an outstanding future Labor Cabinet to rival the best of the past. The most passionate and brightest have come pouring into the caucus in the last two elections."
He also paid tribute to Labor leader Bill Shorten, who he called "Australia's prime minister in waiting".
"He is a resilient, smart, warm man of the people and for the people," he said.
"I'm sorry I will not be alongside you in the federal parliament as you take your place in history."
Senator Conroy is expected to formally resign on September 30 and won't return for the next sitting of parliament starting on October 10.
Mr Shorten released a statement on Friday paying tribute to his colleague.
"As a firm believer in accountability and the public interest, Stephen has been a formidable presence on both sides of the estimates table," he said.
"Public servants and parliamentarians alike quickly learn to respect Stephen's forensic skills and forthright style."
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said he was not surprised by the decision and had spoken with Senator Conroy on Friday morning.
"I know how much all of us miss our families. We give up a lot by entering into either the House of Representatives or the Senate," Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
"I know that the greatest joy in Stephen's life has been the arrival of Bella and he will now have more time to spend with his wife and daughter."
He paid tribute to the former minister who had an "outstanding legacy".
The NSW Nationals posted a tweet criticising the resignation by featuring video of Ms Plibersek not being aware of the resignation, and including the text "When you haven't bothered to show up to work and everyone knows you've quit but your boss."
With AAP
Related reading
Conroy hits out at Trump's ally bashing
