‘I am not rushing back’: Frydenberg pours cold water on return to parliament

In late August 2021, Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced that he had no plans to return to Parliament as a member representing his former seat of Kooyong, despite calls from some of his colleagues for him to do so. Instead, he endorsed Amelia Hamer, a local councillor and member of the Liberal Party, to be the party's candidate for the upcoming by-election in Kooyong.

Frydenberg's decision came after he lost his seat in the May 2022 federal election to the incumbent Independent member for the area, Monique Ryan. The by-election was triggered due to Ryan's decision to join the Labor Party and sit on the opposition benches.

Frydenberg's announcement was met with disappointment by some members of the Liberal Party, who believed that his experience and popularity could have helped the party regain the seat. However, Frydenberg stated that he had decided to focus on his family and personal life after his election loss and that he believed Hamer was the best candidate to represent the party in Kooyong.

Hamer was duly endorsed by the Liberal Party and went on to win the by-election on October 16, 2022, with a margin of over 5% of the two-party-preferred vote. This result was seen as a significant victory for the party, given that they had lost the seat in the May federal election and that Ryan had been considered a strong incumbent.

Frydenberg's decision not to contest the by-election was also significant because of the speculation that he might have been interested in seeking a leadership role within the party. However, he put those ambitions aside and instead chose to support Hamer's campaign.

In summary, Josh Frydenberg announced in August 2022 that he would not be contesting the Kooyong by-election and instead endorsed Amelia Hamer as the Liberal Party's candidate. This decision was met with disappointment by some members of the party but was seen as a significant victory when Hamer went on to win the by-election with a comfortable margin. Frydenberg's decision also put an end to speculation that he might be seeking a leadership role within the party.