Premier Peter Malinauskas appeared emotional when breaking the news that the ministers will not run for re-election at a hastily organized press conference this afternoon.

He expressed his surprise at their decision, after they approached him individually with their intentions a few weeks earlier. Despite his efforts to persuade them to stay, both cited personal reasons for stepping down.

Mullighan was elected to the seat of Lee in 2014 and also acts as minister for police and defence and space industries.

The treasurer said that while he had been “tremendously lucky” to have been granted opportunities in politics, the job was “extremely demanding”.

“It’s not just us who make sacrifices in this role, but our families and loved ones are affected too,” he remarked.

“I realized I couldn’t dedicate another four years to these duties, sacrificing time at home with my family,” he added.

Mullighan added that he had lost both his parents and his wife had lost her father.

“Raising children often requires a community of support, and our ‘village’ is smaller than many. I want to be more available for my kids while they’re still young and while I have the energy to engage with them,” he explained.

Close and Mulligan will be replaced by new ministers in the coming days, but will remain in their seats until the state election in March.