Labor warhorse's departure is vintage politics

No, just because the joker in Labor's pack won't be occupying his seat in the Assembly chamber after next October, don't think the laughter will stop.

Reporting the political demise of the Tuggeranong factional warhorse is a mistake that has been made before and anybody who wants to be somebody in ACT Labor shouldn't make it again.

His departure is vintage Hargreaves, timed to make a splash, a little sentimentality chucked in just for old times' sake, but with a deadly serious and up-to-the-minute political edge.

Hargreaves wants young Karl Maftoum to succeed him in the seat of Brindabella and with the outgoing veteran's support and barring a catastrophe, it will happen in October 2012.

But now is a chance to let everyone, friend and foe, know how things stand and to give the the younger man a handy publicity springboard, why, just 14 months out from the election, as it happens. Nice one Johno.

Regrets? He's had a few, not surprisingly. And he says a lot of nice things about big achievements in public life, housing for vulnerable people, more cops on the streets. How lovely.

But Hargreaves has always been and remains a political warrior and it's the pure adrenaline of the bareknuckled scrap that has always made his blood race.

He's never needed much prompting to gleefully relate a war story or two, of how he and his "mates" outlasted, outfought or outthought their enemies over the years.

Labor "friend" or Liberal foe across the floor of the chamber, didn't much matter, he just loved a fight.

But don't think you've heard his last gag yet.