Liberal senator David Bushby's resignation from federal politics came out of the blue at 1.10pm on Friday, with the Tasmanian saying he looked forward to "a new chapter in my professional career".

It took exactly 60 minutes to find out the details. At 2.10pm, Foreign Minister Marise Payne announced Senator Bushby would be appointed as Australia's new consul-general to the United States in Chicago.

Liberal senator David Bushby will represent Australia's interests in the midwest as consul-general. Credit:Louie Douvis

The appointment just months from a federal election the government is widely expected to lose has irritated the Labor opposition, which says it will review the decision, as well as the posting of former attorney-general George Brandis as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and former Western Australian premier Richard Court as ambassador to Japan.

"We’re not guaranteeing any of these [appointments]. We will be assessing appointments on their merits," said a spokesman for shadow foreign minister Penny Wong.