Basketball Australia chief executive officer Kristina Keneally has resigned from her post.

The former New South Wales premier had advised chairman Scott Derwin that she will not be able to resume her role after her unpaid leave from the start of 2013 due to personal circumstances.

“When I decided to leave politics, I felt I was too young to just be sitting on boards, and I didn’t want to be pigeon-holed as a political commentator; some sort of female Graham Richardson,” she said, referring to the former NSW senator.

“I felt I had another executive role in me and I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to run Basketball Australia. I played basketball in high school, my kids play basketball, I love the sport, so it was easy for me to be enthusiastic.”

However, the role demanded a lot of her time to be spent away from home, and which she cannot give anymore.

“The reality is it’s a job with incredible travel demands – it’s a national role, so there’s interstate travel and international travel as well. When I took the job, it was manageable within our family circumstances, but families change and my disappearing for a few weeks at a time is just not sustainable now.”

She continued her speech, “As sad as I am to be walking away from a job that I’ve loved, my family gave up so much, and gave me so much support to do the job as premier, it’s my chance to make sure that I’m there for them when they need it.”

Keneally took the position of chairwoman of BA in 2011 before she was appointed as the CEO in August 2012.

Chairman Scott Derwin said that the association is now in search for a new chief executive, while Keneally is currently looking for a new job that doesn’t demand a lot of her time away from home.

“The Board of BA understands and sadly supports her decision as being the right one for her at this time,” Derwin said in a statement.

“We are immensely grateful for the enormous contribution Kristina has made to BA during her tenure.”