As the son of a politician, Mike Baird has always known the complicated manner in which a political career can bear upon a political family.
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Baird felt 'personal cost in public life'
NSW Premier Mike Baird has announced he will retire from politics to help his parents and sister cope with 'serious health challenges'. Vision courtesy ABC News 24.
And in his 10 years as a parliamentarian, the outgoing Premier has tried both to acknowledge the influence of his family on his politics and work, yet also to preserve the privacy of his home life.
"There is a strong personal cost that comes in public life, and I've probably felt that more than any other time, in the past few months," Mr Baird said at his press conference announcing his resignation.
"My father and my mother and my sister are going through very serious health challenges. And to be honest, at times I have been in pain at not being able to spend the time that I should," he said, visibly emotional.
"This will change today."
Mr Baird's father, Bruce, a state transport minister who switched to federal politics, underwent open-heart surgery before Christmas. Mr Baird's mother, Judy, has muscular dystrophy and requires 24-hour care. And his sister Julia, the journalist and author, is receiving treatment for cancer.
The Premier has, at times, acknowledged the impact of his job on his wife and three children, who were present at his press conference on Thursday. Yet there have been occasions when his wife, Kerryn, has joined him in advocacy for particular causes.
In 2015, for instance, Mr and Mrs Baird shared their experiences of the post-natal depression she suffered following the birth of one of their daughters.
"It really did feel like a dark cloud had come over my whole life – so things that I used to enjoy, I didn't enjoy any more," Mrs Baird said.
Mr Baird confessed to dealing with the situation like a "complete schmuck".
"My reaction was just to withdraw and I went back to work because it was safe and I understood it and I didn't know quite what I was going to get when I came home," he said.
The decline in the Premier's popularity over the past year brought new difficulties. Last year he was reported as telling a public event that his daughter Laura, then 19, had been "barraged about the lockout laws".
On Thursday, he said Laura was engaged to be married. "I feel too old to be a grandfather - I've made that very clear," he said - although he possibly meant "too young".
"That's an exciting event for the family."
His daughter Cate is entering her HSC year while Luke, his son, may have his dad around to coach him at soccer.
The Premier described Kerryn as his "lifeline."
"You know the VB ad that you're punching above your weight? Well, I've been punching above my weight for coming up to 27 years," he said.
"She's done such a phenomenal job as first lady."