“Workaholic” Daniel Andrews has given a clear hint to his plans for the future, after his bombshell resignation as Victorian Premier on Tuesday.

Andrews will step down as the state’s leader and as the member for the Melbourne seat of Mulgrave effective 5pm on Wednesday.

“Nine years ago, I visited Government House to be sworn in as the 48th premier of Victoria – it has been the honour and privilege of my life,” he said.

“I’m also proud to think of all that we have achieved over these nine years in good times and always working hard to do what’s right, not simply what’s popular.”

He announced the decision in a snap media briefing at the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday afternoon. And while coy about his immediate plans for post-political life, he did offer some hints.

“Hopefully a portion of it will be continuing to serve our state and continuing to talk about reform and promote good ideas and good people,” he said.

“To be honest, I have spent a long time in the public sector. I won’t spend much more time in the public sector after five o’clock tomorrow – I have spent a long time and been privileged and honoured to be a public servant for 21 years,” Andrews said.

Earlier, he declared the new Victorian housing policy, announced just last week, as one of his high points as premier. It promises to build 800,000 homes in the decade to 2034.

“I leave knowing that the housing statement, one of the most profound shake-up in one of the most important policy areas, will guarantee that Victorians across the state have somewhere to call home,” Andrews said.

“What could be more important than that?”

He also revealed his best and worst moments as Premier, describing the worst as the night in 2020 when four Victorian police officers were killed on Melbourne’s Eastern Freeway.

“It is national police Remembrance Day on Friday and among the many worst moments was speaking to the families of the four officers who died,” he said.

“For a best experience, none of you were there, it happened [last] Thursday afternoon, when I got on the test train at Metro Tunnel with no media, and I went from Arden and I travelled underneath the city at 80km/h on a train that was made right here in Victoria, through a tunnel, that is getting very close to being finished, all because of the good work of Victorians.”

He denied the difficult years of the COVID pandemic or natural disasters such as the regional Victorian floods of 2022 had played into Tuesday’s announcement. Victoria endured Australia’s harshest pandemic restrictions and a disastrous hotel quarantine program that led to the virus spreading, despite six lockdowns.

“I’ve never complained that we had to deal with fire and flood and a one-in-100-year pandemic, that’s the job,” Andrews said.

“Those decisions have not fast-forwarded the timeline.”

There were tributes for Andrews from political friends and rivals on Tuesday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the outgoing Premier was a “man of great conviction, enormous compassion and a fierce determination to make a difference”.

“He has made such a positive difference to the lives of Victorians,” Albanese said.

“What you can measure it on is the fact that he is a builder. He has built enormous infrastructure benefits for Victoria. He’s rebuilt a health system – a passion of his from his time as health minister, and indeed, during the pandemic as well.

“He’s rebuilt schools. And in the announcement that he’s made, as well, last week, he’s determined to deal with the challenges of housing.”

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But Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto was less warm. He said Andrews was leaving because Victoria was “falling apart”.

“I do take this opportunity to wish Mr Andrews well with his family and all that he does in the future,” he said.

“The legacy that Daniel Andrews leaves is a state that is broken.

“Victoria is broken, we know it, we see the evidence of it every day.”

Pesutto criticised the recent cancellation of the regional Victorian Commonwealth Games and blowouts in infrastructure projects.

“After nine years in office, are we better off under Daniel Andrews?” he said.

“He can only make false promises and get away with it for so long.”

Andrews’ departure leaves Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr as Australia’s only two remaining pandemic-era leaders. Palaszczuk honoured her Victorian counterpart on Tuesday.

“It has been a pleasure to work alongside [Daniel Andrews],” she posted on social media.

“I wish him and his family all the best in the future.”

Andrews won a state election in 2022 election after a campaign in which he repeatedly said he would see out a full four-year term. On Tuesday he said the change of heart was a recent decision.

“It was true then but I changed my mind,” he said.

“Recently in talking to my kids and Cath, thoughts of what life will be like after this job has started to creep in.

“I have always known that the moment that happens, it is time to go and to give this privilege, this amazing responsibility to someone else.”

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Andrews became premier in November 2014, booting out a first-term Liberal government, and led Labor to two more victories in 2018 and 2022.

His replacement will be picked at a caucus meeting at noon on Wednesday. Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan is considered the front-runner.

-with AAP