Act Party deputy leader Brooke van Velden says she will not be standing for re-election this year.

Van Velden made the announcement in a last-minute press conference at Parliament this morning.

The 33-year-old is a prominent minister and also holds the Auckland Tāmaki seat, one of two electorates held by Act.

Her departure comes after six years as Act’s deputy leader.

Van Velden said she told the caucus this morning about her decision to depart politics but made the decision before Christmas.

Van Velden expressed a desire to work in the public sector.

“Can I commit to the next four years? I could not hand on heart commit to four extra years,” van Velden said, standing next to leader David Seymour and other Act Party MPs.

Van Velden denied there was anything behind her departure being unsaid, adding the public “have to take a woman for her word”.

“Ultimately, I want to try other opportunities as well,” she said.

But van Velden did not rule out returning to politics in the future.

Act Party deputy leader Brooke van Velden has announced she will not stand for re-election in the 2026 general election. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Seymour said the caucus would go through a “collegial” process to select a new deputy. He would not be publicly declaring his preference.

The Act Party leader said van Velden’s work on the Holidays Act might be her “greatest gift” to Kiwis.

Van Velden said Seymour had had several phone calls with her attempting to change her mind but she was resolute in the decision.

Seymour said she had had a political career as near “perfect” as possible, and while he was losing a colleague he would keep a “life-long friend.”

“Now she is going on her on terms,” he said.

Van Velden said being a politician and being a public figure is not an easy life, but said she could have continued doing it if she had wanted to.

Asked about her knowledge about te ao Māori, van Velden said her experiences in politics were “eye-opening” in general.

She said “one of the great privileges” of her time in politics was being welcomed on to the marae at Waitangi and the warmth displayed to her.