KEY POINTS:
The man once labelled Mr Smarmy is leaving the building.
After 18 years around Parliament, Steve Maharey is taking up the Vice-Chancellor's job at Massey University in Palmerston North next year.
Next week he embarks on his last trip as a minister, a science-related visit to the United States.
But the job at Massey was "a wonderful offer and if there was a job I could think of that I would like to do other than this, this job is it. So having it float along at this time was just a rare opportunity and I decided to do it."
He remembers being constantly ill for the first three years in Parliament, when Labour had just 29 MPs, "but I wouldn't have given it up for quids, it was amazing to be part of".
Personal reasons also played a part. His wife Liz Mackay died of cancer in 2004 after Mr Maharey spent several years caring for her.
Bill English, who entered Parliament the same year as Mr Maharey and went head to head with him on the education portfolio, said there was little surprise at Mr Maharey's decision.
"Nine years as a minister in education and welfare, it wears people down and he has clearly not been as focused in the last 12 months as he used to be."
Mr Maharey has been a trusted lieutenant for Helen Clark and has sometimes been a go-between for her dealing with troublesome issues concerning other Labour MPs.
He has known controversy. Former Winz boss Christine Rankin sued the Government for breach of contract and a personal grievance, and claimed Mr Maharey had sworn at her and criticised her dress sense.
Mr Maharey was given the education portfolio in December 2005 and quickly took out the heat from his predecessor Trevor Mallard's closures of small, rural schools.
But he faced his own hurdles with criticism of the NCEA qualification.
He cites his greatest legacy as Working for Families, which gives tax credits to families in different income brackets.
