Indigenous community advocate Daniel Morrison-Bird has stepped down as Labor candidate for the safe seat of Thornlie two months out from the Western Australian state election.
Labor announced Mr Morrison-Bird was quitting the race in a statement issued Monday afternoon.
As head of Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, Mr Morrison-Bird has championed Indigenous-led solutions to social problems.
He has been an outspoken critic of the Labor government's handling of youth justice.
"I have made the difficult decision to withdraw as the Thornlie candidate," Mr Morrison-Bird said.
"After reflecting with my family over the Christmas break, it became clear to me that now is not the right time for me to enter politics… I have greatly enjoyed connecting with the community and would like to thank all community groups and individuals for taking the time to speak with me and support my campaign.
"I thank the WA Labor Party, Member for Thornlie Chris Tallentire and Premier Roger Cook for their support."
Chief of staff to retiring Attorney General John Quigley, Colleen Egan, has been touted as a possible replacement candidate for Thornlie.
Ms Egan's work as an investigative journalist is well known in WA, and her reporting was credited with playing a role in the acquittal of Andrew Mallard, who was wrongly convicted of murder in 1995.
Labor won Thornlie with 80.9 per cent of the two-party preferred vote at the 2021 state election.
