EUROA MP Steph Ryan says her decision to leave parliament at this year's election should not imply that mothers of young children are unable to be politicians.
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The Nationals Victorian deputy leader announced on Wednesday she would be departing after two terms, citing family as the reason for her inability to continue to devote "150 per cent" of her time to her constituency.
Ms Ryan has a daughter, Sunday, who turns two this month and is due to have her second child in December.
"I always felt that it would be the right time to go when I no longer felt I could give everything to the electorate and with the little one at home and another one coming along now felt the right time," the 36 year-old said.
However, Ms Ryan hopes her move does not send a message that women cannot be MPs and mothers of young children.
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"I think everyone has a different set of circumstances, there are people who have little kids in parliament who continue with their career," she said.
"This is a personal choice for me about where my priorities are and it's not as if I don't plan on working again."
Ms Ryan said she would like the Victorian parliament to follow its federal counterpart and have childcare available to MPs, noting it is particularly hard for country MPs to access such a service in Melbourne during sitting weeks.
"We have a very privileged position as MPs but for regional MPs the job does require us to uproot our life and to work to a fairly ad hoc timetable," she said.
Ms Ryan has represented Euroa, a seat that runs from Glenrowan West to Kilmore, since it was created in 2014.
She has also been the Opposition's water, gaming and public transport and roads spokeswoman.
Nationals colleague, Ovens Valley MP, Tim McCurdy, said Ms Ryan had shown politics was not "just for old greying and balding men".
"It's a sad day for politics, I think, because Steph is a really good person, a lovely person who would do anything for anyone," Mr McCurdy said.
"She's been a fierce advocate for getting the VLocities up and running on the North East line and finally we can nearly see them, that's a big tick in the box for Steph.
"She fought particularly hard for VLocities and she can walk away from her job in November knowing that's been done."
Liberal member for Benambra Bill Tilley said having been a policeman with a young family he understood the need for a work-life balance.
"I've enjoyed working with Steph on a whole range of issues for the North East and wish her the best for the sake of her family," Mr Tilley said.
A preselection of Nationals members in Euroa will determine the party's contender in November's election.
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