Australia's first female foreign minister Julie Bishop announced she will quit parliament at the next election, joining an exodus of senior government lawmakers as the ruling coalition battles to retain office. Bishop, 62, received a standing ovation in the House of Representatives Thursday (Feb 21) after announcing she won't re-contest the seat of Curtin in Western Australia that she has held since 1998. Her departure ends a political career that saw her serve as deputy to three leaders of the Liberal Party, including former prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott. The governing Liberal-National coalition, which is trailing the main opposition Labor party in opinion polls, is entering a critical period with elections looming in May. Three ministers have already announced they are quitting parliament at the election, fueling perceptions that the government is on the verge of losing office. Bishop, who resigned as foreign minister and returned to the backbenches in August after Turnbull was ousted by his own lawmakers and replaced by Scott Morrison as prime minister, said she was confident the coalition had the right policy platform to win re-election.
