National MP and former Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has resigned from politics to take up a role in the private healthcare sector.
Dr Coleman is the current MP for Northcote, so his resignation will trigger a by-election.
He has been elected to the seat five times, most recently with a majority of 6210 in the 2017 election.
Dr Coleman will become the CEO of Acurity Health Group, a company which provides private surgical and medical healthcare, on April 30.
He said he was not planning to resign but he received an "unsolicited approach" from the company.
"I have had a great nine years as Minister, I would be staying to get my old job or equivalent back and it's basically time for me to follow a new future," he told media on Thursday.
Despite the cost of by-elections, he said they are a "fact of life" of politics.
"It's also a great opportunity as National is in this phase coming out of Government, for some exciting new talent to come onto the stage."
Dr Coleman was first elected to Parliament in 2005, and spent nine years as a cabinet minister.
His ministerial portfolios have included health, defence, immigration, state services, and sport and recreation.
Newshub.
