SAS veteran turned Survivor winner Mark Wales has stood aside as the Liberal candidate for Tangney in order to support his family through a health crisis.
Mr Wales won the preselection in the key battleground seat early in April, beating out IT consultant Howard Ong and litigation lawyer Sean Ayres.
The Liberal Party’s state council will hold a special meeting later this week to work out how to choose a new candidate for the seat.
In a statement, Mr Wales said the difficult decision to pull out had been reached after much thought and consultation with his family over the past couple of days.
“When I spoke to Liberal Party members in Tangney during my preselection in April, I assured them that I share their fundamental values. Specifically, I said I was ‘all in’ for family,” he said.
“Late last week, a close family member suffered a serious medical episode and will remain in intensive care in Melbourne.
“This moment has tested my stated principle. My family means everything to me — so my first priority is to be with them and provide all the support they need during this incredibly difficult time.”