Following health problems, he resigned both positions in favour of Lia Finocchiaro in February 2020, and retired at the 2020 election.
[3] Higgins faced the task of rebuilding a party that had just suffered one of the worst defeats of a sitting government at the state or territory level in Australia.
Higgins served as Shadow Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, Housing and Community Development, Tourism and Culture, Environment and Natural Resources, Public Employment, Corporate and Information Services, Primary Industry and Resources and Northern Australia.
[5] On 20 January 2020, Higgins announced his resignation as leader of the Country Liberals, citing health problems, and confirmed he would retire from the Legislative Assembly at the next Territory election in August 2020.
His deputy, and the only other Country Liberal MP in the assembly, Lia Finocchiaro succeeded him as party and opposition leader on 1 February.