Labour MP Mark Gosche quitting politics at election

ONE NEWS: Veteran Labour MP Mark Gosche is quitting parliament at this election to concentrate on caring for his wife.

Five years ago Carol Gosche suffered a brain aneurysm and since then further tragedy has beset the family, leaving the one time political high-flyer with changed priorities.

The former cabinet minister took time-out after the sudden death of his son in December and Gosche has gone from being at the table with the government's top 20 decision makers to something quite different.

Mark and Carol met as teenagers and have been married more than 30 years. But their relationship took on a new dimension when Carol suffered a major brain haemorrhage.

Now the man who counted former Prime Minister David Lange among his supporters, and who was marked out as a potential Labour leader, is stepping aside.

Gosche has been a significant player in politics and has been the electorate MP in Maungakiekie for the past nine years. In parliament he has had high profile portfolios including transport and housing, as well as being the first person of Pacific Island descent to be in cabinet.

The family suffered another tragedy six months ago when their 24-year-old son Kristian committed suicide.

"I felt I was at my lowest ebb in terms of energy, and you need a lot of energy to be a politician, to be an MP...it made me think, how much do you have inside yourself, for the rest of your working career, and do you want to keep doing this," Gosche says.

"I've always enjoyed the cut and thrust of politics, and at the end of the day, the parliamentary process in the House is a lot to do with theatre and the contest of ideas...and I'll miss that, but...I think we're not all driven by ego, we're not all driven by the so called perks of the job."

He will be walking away from his electorate office and a team he has been part of for a decade.

Staff member John Fenton says Gosche has been through hell in the last five years.

Gosche says he will have wonderful memories of the work he has done.

"I'm only 52, so I've got a working life ahead of me that I've got to concentrate on."