TWO high profile Palaszczuk government ministers have today announced they are stepping down ahead of the October 31 state election.
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Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham and Tourism Minister Kate Jones used the last sitting day of the 56rd Queensland parliament to announce they would not recontest the upcoming state election.
Dr Lynham, a former maxillofacial surgeon who was a consultant surgeon at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, told parliament this morning he would not recontest his seat of Stafford.
"I would like to advise the house that I will not be re-contesting the 31 October election," Dr Lynham said.
"It has become very clear to me that I cannot maintain my medical registration as a doctor and give 100 per cent to this job."
Dr Lynham was first elected in July 2014 at the Stafford by-election.
He was appointed Natural Resources Minister in February 2015.
Tourism and State Development Minister Kate Jones this afternoon followed suit, announcing her plan to retire.
Ms Jones said it was a difficult decision to have made, and described her time in parliament as both humbling and rewarding.
Ms Jones was first elected to the seat of Ashgrove in 2006, before losing to Campbell Newman in 2012.
She reclaimed the seat in 2015 and with redistribution, contested and won the new seat of Cooper in 2017.
The Palaszczuk Government has now had three ministers announce their resignation just weeks out from the state election, with Mundingburra MP and Communities Minister Coralee O'Rourke announcing her intention to resign due to health reasons on Saturday.
