South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi, who broke away from the Liberals to form his own conservative party, has announced that his 13-year career in politics will come to a close at the end of the year.
Senator Bernardi attracted controversy during his political career over his calls to ban burqas, condemnation of gay marriage, climate scepticism and support for a nuclear industry.
The now-independent senator says he is now leaving politics with his integrity intact and very few regrets, proclaiming that critics twisted his words about same-sex marriage and climate change for their own purposes.