National MP Amy Adams - who resigned on Tuesday - has revealed her most difficult day in Parliament had nothing to do with politics.
Adams, National's now-former Finance spokesperson and Shadow Attorney-General, said the most difficult day she had in Parliament was when her daughter called her from boarding school, "bawling" her eyes out.
"She rang me up late at night, bawling, she was at boarding school, wasn't getting on with her friends, and I felt a million miles from her - it's tough."
- National MP Alastair Scott to stand down in 2020
- National MP Amy Adams to retire from politics at 2020 election
Adams, MP for Selwyn, announced she would retire from politics at the 2020 election, and has chosen to step down from her spokesperson roles.
National leader Simon Bridges will announce a Cabinet reshuffle Tuesday afternoon. It comes after MP for Wairarapa, Alastair Scott, announced his resignation the same day as Adams.
Adams said during a press conference in Parliament: "You've got to reflect with satisfaction on what you've done and accept that there'll be a range of jobs for the next crowd coming through to do."
Adams said she's committed to fulfilling her role as MP for Selwyn until the 2020 election. She said she wants to avoid a by-election because she doesn't believe in them.
"I made a commitment to my electorate that I'll never cause a by-election except for exceptional circumstances. So until the election next year, that's going to be my job."
The next MP for Selwyn will have to be good at balancing a "very rural electorate" that's also "very urban", Adams said.
"It's a great community - whoever's lucky enough to become the next MP for Selwyn will have my support. Ultimately, they will represent what I think is the best community in New Zealand."
Reflecting on her time in Parliament, Adams - a former Justice Minister, Finance Minister and Environment Minister - said she was proud of what she achieved around the Environmental Reporting Act 2015.
"National Environment Reporting Standards mean we have a comprehensive set of environmental reporting that had never happened before."
Adams also said she was "amazingly proud" of the work she did as Justice Minister when she read the former Government's apology for historic homosexual convictions in Parliament.
She also said she was glad the current Government had "picked up" the progress she made in Parliament on family and sexual violence.
"I admire them for that and I encourage that - I'm incredibly proud of that work, but there's still so much more to be done in that space."
As for what the future holds for Adams, she said she's spoken to Bridges about "a number of projects I could get involved in between now and then, special projects, policy work post the election..."
"I'm actually enjoying, for the first time probably since I was about 10 years old, wondering what comes next."
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