Tim Hammond’s decision to quit the Australian parliament has been hailed an honourable and courageous one. With two young children, the Labor Member for Perth has said he wants to put his family first.

It is a peculiar decision, as he is only in his first term. I don’t know Tim Hammond but as someone who follows the deliberations of our nation’s capital, I did observe from afar that he was one of Labor’s better frontbench performers on the floor of the house.