Kean declined to say whether he had spoken to any companies, only saying repeatedly he did not have “anything finalised”.
“Nothing’s been finalised. I intend on pursuing a career in the private sector. I’ll have discussions that I’m looking forward to opportunities that might come in the private sector to drive the energy transition,” he said.
“What I’ll always do is fight for lower energy prices, fight for a better outcome for our economy, fight for a better environment. That’s what I’ve done my entire career.”
He did not nominate a successor for his safe seat of Hornsby, saying it was a matter for Liberal Party branch members. His sudden resignation surprised many, with insiders believing it was Kean’s long-time colleague and former premier Dominic Perrottet who would be the first Liberal MP to announce their exit.
Kean was elected as the member for Hornsby in the Coalition’s 2011 landslide election win. He made his name after being appointed by former premier Gladys Berejiklian to the environment portfolio initially, before being handed responsibility for energy and climate.
As the climate wars embroiled his federal Coalition counterparts, Kean managed to drive the NSW government to an ambitious emissions reduction target, earning the ire of the conservatives and some of his colleagues in Canberra.
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