By ninemsn staff and wires
Steve Bracks has resigned as Victorian premier for family reasons and because he could not longer commit to politics one hundred percent.
And in a day of shocks for Victorian politics,
Deputy Premier John Thwaites has also tendered his resignation, clearing the way for Treasurer John Brumby to become the state's next leader.
Bracks, who entered parliament in August 1994 after winning a by-election in the seat of Williamstown, announced his decision at a press conference in Melbourne at 10.45am.
"I have just left a meeting with my cabinet ministers where I informed them that I intend to resign as premier, as leader of the parliamentary Labor Party, also as the member for Williamstown," the 52-year-old told the packed conference.
"I leave politics proud of what we have achieved."
"This is the right decision for Terry and our family," he said. "It's the right time to stand down. I have given everything to this job — body and soul."
Mr Bracks said his cabinet was shocked by the decision.
Were there tears, the premier was asked. "Yes, there were tears," he said.
Mr Bracks said politics demanded total commitment, but he had recently decided he could no longer give that total commitment and had, therefore, decided to make a new life outside politics.
A new leader will be chosen at a caucus meeting at 11am on Monday.
Mr Bracks said he would have a single vote in caucus, but said he had made no secret of the fact that he believed Treasurer John Brumby would be an outstanding leader of the Labor Party.
Family pressure
Mr Bracks said the events of the last few weeks had meant he had made the decision to quit earlier than he would have.
Earlier this month, an emotional Mr Bracks said he felt like a failure as a father when his eldest son Nick, 20, allegedly crashed the family car while drunk.
Nick, a P-plate driver, is accused of having a blood-alcohol level of 0.129 when the car crashed into a tree near the family home in Williamstown, in Melbourne's south.
A flustered and distressed Mr Bracks told reporters at the time his son had "stupidly" ended a night of drinking with friends by driving the family car, an old second-hand Saab.
"(I felt) probably the worst I've felt ... pretty close to the worst I've felt in my life," Mr Bracks said at the time.
"I just felt hopeless and useless, and you can't help feeling a bit of a failure as a parent."
This morning, Mr Bracks said his wife and their three children had given him unbelievable support.
"You have to remember our children have only known [a life in] politics."
"I said when I went in [as leader] that I wanted to do the job and be a good father. Nothing has changed and I will do everything I can to be a good father."
"The events of the last few weeks have helped me make a decision earlier than otherwise would have been the case."
Mrs Bracks said it had been a fantastic journey, but acknolwedged life in the public eye was sometimes difficult.
"I guess the feeling of living in a fishbowl would be the downside, but on the upside we have met some amazing people."
"[We've had] the added pressure of [our family life] playing out in public," she said.
"We're glad to have him back," she said of her husband's decision to resign.
Bracks was officially elected leader of the Victorian ALP on March 22, 1999, replacing John Brumby.
Eight months later, he became Premier when he beat Liberal Leader Jeff Kennett in the state election.
His party formed a minority government with the support of three independent MPs.
Prior to becoming premier, Mr Bracks held several key portfolios as a shadow minister including treasury, finance, industrial relations and employment.
Born in Ballarat in 1954, Mr Bracks is married to Terry and father to Nick, Amy and Will.
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