Federal MP Andrew Broad won't recontest the next election after he travelled to Hong Kong and dined with a younger woman he met online, charging taxpayers for the domestic leg of the trip.
"After recent media stories about my private life, it is clear that the people of Mallee will be best served in the next parliament by a different Nationals candidate," the Nationals MP said in a statement on Tuesday.
The announcement came soon after Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told reporters Mr Broad should "consider his position".
Mr Broad acknowledged he had disappointed his family, staff, Nationals members and the community.
"I have done my best and at times we have achieved good things, but I have also let them down," he said.
The MP on Monday resigned as assistant minister to Mr McCormack, after New Idea magazine published an article with alleged details of the meeting.
A woman, named as "Amy", claimed she met the married 43-year-old in Hong Kong in November for dinner and he told her he was there for a "conference" but "shouldn't have been here at all".
The woman also claimed Mr Broad lied about his age, sent her numerous text messages that turned to a "more sexual nature" following the dinner and compared himself to "James Bond".
The MP told the The New Daily website on Monday he was in Hong Kong for a fruit and vegetable trade show, linked to his electoral work, in early September rather than November as the New Idea story suggested.
He said he paid for the international travel and accommodation.
But it was confirmed on Tuesday he would immediately pay back $479.62 for domestic flights between Mildura and Melbourne, September 2 and 7, involved in the trip.
Mr McCormack said on Monday he had known about the matter for a couple of weeks and had urged Mr Broad to report it to the Australian Federal Police.
But the AFP said it had received Mr Broad's referral on November 8, six weeks earlier, and after assessing it, found "no applicable offences under Australian law".
The deputy prime minister later said he thought a couple of weeks ago was "approximately" the time of the call, and that he had been told by Mr Broad his trip to Hong Kong was a personal one.
The Nationals leader didn't tell Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the issue because he thought it was a matter for Mr Broad's family.
But after learning more, he urged Mr Broad on Tuesday to "consider his future", given he wants the Nationals to be focused on regional Australians.
Meanwhile, the Herald-Sun on Tuesday cited unnamed "senior Nationals" saying they feared the allegations could be the "tip of the iceberg" for Mr Broad, claiming at least three women had contacted the party in the past year.
These women made separate claims of "dalliances" with Mr Broad, dating back to 2015, the news outlet reported.
Mr McCormack said he hadn't heard of theses allegations until Tuesday.
Labor spokeswoman Michelle Rowland made light of the "sugar daddy" website scandal.
"Let's not sugar-coat this, it's a very sticky situation," she told Sky News.
