
It’s been a decade since Christine Milne entered the Senate. Here, she writes exclusively for Debrief Daily about the very personal reasons that led to her decision to leave politics.
Many were shocked, that Wednesday morning in Canberra when I stepped down.
But all you really had to know was my age and that a Senate term is six years to realise it was a possibility. In order to lead the Australian Greens into the 2016 federal election I would have had to stand for re-election myself. I knew in my heart of hearts that I couldn’t, in all honesty, stand up before the people of Tasmania and ask for their support for another six years, when I had no intention of staying that long.

I will be 63 next year and I was in two minds.
Was I letting the sisterhood down by resigning as the only remaining female leader in the Federal Parliament? I rail against the discrimination older women face in public life, in the media and in business, and I think it's time to smash the stereotype that older men are "distinguished looking" wise elders, whereas older women are past it.