Former Attorney-General John Hatzistergos has said his decision to resign from the NSW parliament is not part of any deal to install a Labor Party favourite in his place. Mr Hatzistergos, who has four years of his upper house term to run, said he wanted to leave before Easter.

Talking to Neos Kosmos Mr Hatzistergos last Saturday dismissed speculation that he was going to leave to make room for former emergency services minister Steve Whan, who narrowly lost the lower house seat of Monaro at Saturday’s state election. “There is life after politics” Mr Hatzistergos said last Saturday, adding that the pursuit of his former legal career is on the cards as well.

After his resignation last Thursday, the former Attorney-General said there are plenty of well-qualified people to replace him. “I’m not putting any preconditions on the party for this decision,” he told ABC Radio on Thursday. Mr Hatzistergos was Health Minister from 2003 to 2007 and attorney-general from 2007 until Labor’s election loss. His replacement in the Legislative Council for the remainder of his eight-year term will be appointed by the Labor Party.

Meanwhile, former Transport Minister John Robertson is set to be elected unopposed to the Labor leadership at a caucus meeting of MPs on Thursday morning.