Two more ministers have joined the list of federal government figures retiring at the next election, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison says their personal reasons for doing so should be taken at face value.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion announced on Saturday he will step down at the election.
The news came after Human Services Minister Michael Keenan revealed on Friday evening he would do the same, in order to spend more time with his young family.
Industrial Affairs Minister Kelly O'Dwyer announced her retirement plans for family reasons last week.
The prime minister has dismissed suggestions the retirements are about anything more than the ministers' personal circumstances.
"We've had members retiring and not standing at the next election from both sides of politics and it means nothing more than that," he told reporters after a citizenship ceremony in Canberra on Saturday.
"People go away at the time of the break, they reflect on things, they make choices about their future.
"Australians are doing that all round the country at the moment and I don't think these cases are any different."
Mr Morrison said he did not believe losing the ministers would affect the government's chances of re-election and that he was excited to see those who "come up and refresh behind them".
"All government's refresh," he said, noting there were no other resignations before him.
The prime minister also sought to hose down reports he had been lobbying NSW MP Craig Laundy to stay in the fold, saying he caught up with him this week after arranging to do so while he was overseas over the break.
"I said let's catch up for brekkie when you get back and that's what we did," Mr Morrison said.
Senator Scullion, Mr Keenan and Ms O'Dwyer will remain in their ministerial portfolios until the election.
Mr Keenan said it was not unusual for several people to make a decision at this time of year not to re-contest.
"People hyperventilate about everything in politics, I've learnt that over 15 years," he told reporters in Perth on Saturday.
"But I don't think it's particularly striking that there are several ministers deciding after Christmas, and at this time of the year with an election looming, that they can't serve for the next three years."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the spate of retirement announcements showed the "government was barely limping to the end of its term."
"This is a government where its members have given up and now they're walking out the door," he told reporters in Melbourne.
Recent government resignations:
- Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion
- Human Services Minister Michael Keenan - personal reasons
- Jobs Minister Kelly O'Dwyer - personal reasons
- MP Julia Banks - cites bullying
- Nationals MP and former assistant minister Andrew Broad - fell from grace in the sugar daddy scandal
