 After the 2016 election, the CLP was reduced to only two members in the Legislative Assembly, with Higgins becoming party leader and Leader of the Opposition.Following health problems, he resigned both positions in favour of Lia Finocchiaro in February 2020, and announced that he would retire at the 2020 election.Higgins moved to the Northern Territory in 1986, and was employed in the Territory public service, where he became Director of Corporate Services at the Attorney-General's office.