Vic Senator Troeth to quit politics

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has paid tribute to the sometimes controversial Victorian Liberal Senator Judith Troeth who has decided to retire from the Senate when her term ends in mid-2011.

Senator Troeth, 68, was among a handful of moderate Howard government backbenchers
who defied their leader and opposed harsher elements of immigration detention policy
and who voted to support stem cell research using human embryos.
She also made headlines in 2007 when, as a former Victorian Liberal Party branch
president, she attacked the "factional henchmen" of the state party, singling out
former treasurer Peter Costello who she accused of favouring promotion of his
cronies over new talent.
Mr Turnbull said Senator Troeth had vigorously represented the interests of regional
Australia and had chaired the federal Liberal regional and rural committee for five
years until 2002.
The former teacher and farmer had also chaired a number of parliamentary committees
and was parliamentary secretary to the minister for agriculture for the first three
terms of the Howard government.
"During a distinguished 16-year career, Senator Troeth was an effective and
energetic advocate for the people of Victoria, and made particularly notable
contributions in the areas of women's affairs, human rights and immigration policy,"
Mr Turnbull said in a statement.
"I thank Senator Troeth for her years of hard work and record of service to the
people of Victoria," Mr Turnbull said.
Although her current six-year term in the Senate does not expire until June 2011,
Senator Troeth announced on Wednesday she would not seek renomination.
"It has been a privilege to have been elected as a senator for Victoria and I will
be continuing to work hard to serve the parliament and Victorians until my Senate
term expires in June 2011," Senator Troeth said in a statement.