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Rob Oakeshott

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Robert Oakeshott
MP
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Lyne
Assumed office
6 September 2008
Preceded byMark Vaile
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Port Macquarie
In office
30 November 1996 – 13 August 2008
Preceded byWendy Machin
Succeeded byPeter Besseling
Personal details
Born (1969-12-14) 14 December 1969 (age 54)
Lismore, New South Wales
Political partyNational (1996–2002)
Independent (2002–present)
Residence(s)Port Macquarie, New South Wales
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
OccupationPolitical staffer
Websitehttp://www.roboakeshott.com

Robert James Murray "Rob" Oakeshott (born 14 December 1969) is an Australian politician. He is the independent Member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Lyne in New South Wales, which he won in the 2008 by-election following the resignation of former Nationals leader and Howard minister Mark Vaile. Elected as the Nationals candidate for the state seat of Port Macquarie in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1996, he left the party to become an independent in 2002, and retained the seat until 2008, when he resigned to run as an independent candidate in the Lyne by-election. Oakeshott describes his views as economically conservative and socially progressive.[1]

Early career and influences

Oakeshott was born in Lismore. His father, also named Rob Oakeshott, is still a doctor in the area and his grandfather Captain John Oakeshott was a prisoner of war and survived the Sandakan Death Marches.[2][3][4][5]

Oakeshott attended Barker College as a high school student and was a boarder in his latter years there. He then studied at the University of Sydney.[2] He was a resident of St. Andrew's College when the Principal, Peter Cameron, was convicted of heresy by the Presbyterian Church of Australia.[4][6][7][8][9] Oakeshott describes Cameron as an influence on his thinking:[1]

As a student he was a pretty interesting fellow but standing on his digs over some of the speeches and some of the sermons he used to give. And in his parting speech to the students, he said, "I hope the great lesson I've taught you as the leader of this college is that you've got to stand up for what you believe in regardless of the consequences."

— Rob Oakeshott, Lateline, 23 August 2010[6]

During his time at university he did unpaid work experience for Federal Liberal MP Philip Ruddock.[10] Oakeshott graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Government in 1992.[2] He then worked as an administrative officer at the Road Transport Forum, for the lobbying company Resolutions, as a staffer for National Party Leader Mark Vaile and in public relations for the Coalition in Canberra before his own election to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.[2][10][11][12][13]

NSW Parliament

He was elected as the National Party member for Port Macquarie at a by-election on 30 November 1996 after the retirement of National Party member Wendy Machin on 28 August, winning 46.71% of the primary vote against John Barrett, a former Liberal Party candidate who stood as an independent after the Liberals, then led by Peter Collins, decided not to run a candidate.[14][15] At his election, he was the youngest member of the NSW Legislative Assembly.[16]

He stood again at the 1999 election, increasing his primary vote to 56.05%.[17] Under Opposition Leader Kerry Chikarovski, on 19 April 1999 he was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation and the Shadow Minister for Fisheries and Ports. Following a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle on 1 February 2000, Oakeshott lost Fisheries and Ports and took on the shadow portfolio of Gaming and Racing.[2] However, he had become increasingly dissatisfied with the National Party, stating that he was the youngest person at most meetings he attended, and found himself in opposition to many of the party's policies.[1]

Almost immediately after joining the Parliamentary party, he identified a number of points of disagreement, including racism within the party, his republicanism, the National's conservative drug policy and the influence of property developers in the party.[1][18] At the 1999 vote over a safe injecting room trial, he was pressured to hold the party line and considered leaving politics altogether.[18] He later said that he should have examined the National's ideology more closely:

"On reflection, my mistake was I didn't realise the consequence of not doing some more due diligence on ideology," he says. "I just said, 'Oh yeah, they're the party around here, I'm a young bloke, I need a job'. That cuts both ways. I don't think they did enough due diligence on me."

— Rob Oakeshott, The Daily Telegraph, 3 October 2010[18]

He also questioned the relevance of the Nationals in an electorate transformed by demographic change and the growth of tourism.[19]

Oakeshott resigned from the National Party and as Shadow Minister on 9 March 2002.[1][2][4][20] He subsequently retained the seat as an independent at the 2003 New South Wales State election, gaining 69.75% of the primary vote, compared to 14% for the National Party candidate.[21]

During his tenure as the state member for Port Macquarie Oakeshott completed a law degree at Macquarie University.[22]

Federal politics

There were suggestions that Oakeshott would stand as an independent candidate at the 2004 federal election against his former boss and National Party leader Mark Vaile in the seat of Lyne, but he did not nominate.

In April 2008, following the defeat of the Howard Government, Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan approached Oakeshott to consider standing as a joint Liberal-National candidate should Mark Vaile retire and a by-election be called. He did not comment at the time because Vaile had not announced his intentions.[23] After Vaile announced his resignation from Parliament on 19 July 2008, triggering a Lyne by-election,[24] Oakeshott announced that he would consider standing for the seat.[23]

Oakeshott resigned as the independent MP for Port Macquarie in order to run as an independent candidate at the federal by-election for Lyne.[25][26] This triggered a Port Macquarie by-election.

Oakeshott was considered the strong favourite for the Lyne by-election: he was placed at $1.16 by Centrebet and $1.15 by Sportingbet to take the seat. He won virtually every booth in the electorate, receiving around two thirds of the primary vote and three quarters of the two-party vote.[27] The extent of his primary vote saw him receive more than $100,000 in electoral reimbursements from the Australian Electoral Commission.[28]

In his first term, Oakeshott voted 32 times with the ruling Labor government (including in support of the proposed emission trading scheme) and 9 times with the opposition. He has explained that this record was not indicative of support for Labor's policy platform but rather because he believed in allowing governments to govern.[29]

Oakeshott was re-elected in the 2010 Australian federal election. With neither Labor nor the Liberal/National Coalition having enough members to form government on their own, he became one of a number of independents whose support was sought by both sides in a bid to form a minority government. Amongst the legislation that he supported was the proposed emissions trading scheme.[30] Oakeshott decided with the other incumbent independents, Bob Katter and Tony Windsor, to negotiate as a bloc. While holding different opinions on the issue of climate change,[31] all three have highlighted broadband as a policy important to them.[32] Oakeshott has also said he was interested in establishing a stable government and raised concerns that a 76-seat government was "a by-election away from trouble", and to avoid this he has proposed that a government be formed with ministers from both of the usually antagonistic major parties.[33] If no stable government capable of governing for the full three-year term could be formed, he has recommended that the government should call a new election.[32]

On 7 September 2010, Oakeshott gave his backing to the formation of a Labor minority government.[34][35] After announcing his decision, he stated that he had been offered a ministry by Julia Gillard and would be considering the offer.[36] On 10 September 2010 he announced that he had turned down becoming the minister for Regional Australia, a portfolio created because of the agreement between himself, Tony Windsor and the ALP.[37] Oakeshott later released a statement saying that he would accept nomination to be the Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives if he were nominated by another member, provided proposed Parliamentary reforms were put into place.[38] In the event, he was not nominated, but Harry Jenkins was elected unopposed as speaker.[39] Of Mr Oakeshott's decision to help Labor form a minority government, 61 per cent of his constituents did not support the move, while 32 per cent did. A Newspoll taken a week after last year's election found that 52 per cent of voters in Lyne wanted their independent MP to support a coalition minority government, while 38 per cent backed Labor.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Browne, Peter (2008-09-03). "MP wanted for growing rural seat. Mavericks very welcome". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Mr Robert James Murray OAKESHOTT (1969 – )". Parliament of New South Wales. 2008-08-26. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  3. ^ Kelly, Joe (2010-08-26). "Oakeshott and Governor-General to meet - and only mention the war". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  4. ^ a b c Stevenson, Andrew (2010-08-24). "Uncompromising heretic caught in the national spotlight". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  5. ^ "Sandakan memorial sheds light on an atrocity 64 years ago". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 2009-08-28. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  6. ^ a b Sales, Leigh (2010-08-23). "Oakeshott: from independent to kingmaker". Lateline. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2010-08-24.
  7. ^ MacLean, Sheena (1995-07-20). "The 'heretic' at God's right hand". The Age. Fairfax Media. p. 11. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  8. ^ Cameron, Peter (1993-07-08). "The making of a heretic". The Age. Fairfax Media. p. 14. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  9. ^ Stephens, Tony (1994-08-01). "Devil's Advocate Quits Ministry to find God". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 5. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  10. ^ a b Paul Sheehan (13 September 2010). "Far from an outsider or innocent". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  11. ^ "Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Drug Testing) Bill – Second Reading". Hansard. Parliament of New South Wales. 05/12/2007. Retrieved 2010-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Nationals concerned about Vaile's survival". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-08-03. Retrieved 2006-06-10.
  13. ^ "Where 220 ex Howard staffers are now". Crikey. 2004-07-20. Archived from the original on 2006-05-26. Retrieved 2006-06-10.
  14. ^ "State Electoral District – Port Macquarie Results 1996 (byelection)". New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
  15. ^ "Will the Liberals Pass on Lyne?". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
  16. ^ "About Rob". roboakeshott.com.au. Rob Oakeshott Independent. 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  17. ^ "State Electoral District – Port Macquarie Results 1999". New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
  18. ^ a b c Claire Harvey (3 October 2010). "Why the Nationals turned Robert oakeshott off". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  19. ^ Clune, David (2002). "Australian Political Chronicle: January–June 2002". Australian Journal of Politics and History. 48 (4): 549. ISSN 0004-9522. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  20. ^ Green, Antony (2010). "Lyne". The Green Guide. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  21. ^ "State Electoral District – Port Macquarie Results 2003". New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
  22. ^ "Macquarie University Graduate Register 2008". Macquarie University. Retrieved 20011-2-16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  23. ^ a b McDougall, Bruce (2008-07-21). "Independent MP Rob Oakeshott tilts at Mark Vaile seat". Daily Telegraph. News Limited. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
  24. ^ "Vaile steps down from Politics". markvaile.com.au. Mark Vaile. 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
  25. ^ "By-elections pressure Coalition's unity". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  26. ^ Salusinszky, Imre (2008-08-06). "Maverick Rob Oakeshott to haunt former party". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  27. ^ "Lyne by-election 2008". Australian Electoral Commission. 2008.
  28. ^ "Public funding payments for Lyne and Mayo by-elections". Australian Electoral Commission. 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  29. ^ Arup, Tom (2010-08-23). "Profile: Rob Oakeshott". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2010-10-25.
  30. ^ Coorey, Phillip (2010-08-22). "Power's in balance after rise of the crossbenchers". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
  31. ^ Davis, Mark (2010-08-25). "Independents wobble before winds of climate change". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2010-10-25.
  32. ^ a b Coorey, Phillip (2010-08-23). "Call another poll if talks fail: Oakeshott". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 2010-10-25.
  33. ^ "Oakeshott raises prospect of a mix-and-match government". The Age. Fairfax Media. 2010-08-24. Retrieved 2010-10-25.
  34. ^ "Labor clings to power". ABC News online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  35. ^ Davis, Mark (7 September 2010). "Labor over the line: Windsor and Oakeshott hand power to Gillard". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  36. ^ Lanai Vasek (11 September 2010). "Oakeshott forsakes $100k pay rise by refusing ministry". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  37. ^ Frances Bell (10 September 2010). "Ministerial offer 'attractive': Oakeshott". Lateline. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  38. ^ Glenn Milne (15 September 2010). "Exclusive: Oakeshott makes a bid for Speaker". The Drum. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  39. ^ Rob Burgess (28 September 2010). "Harry Jenkins rules, okay". Business Spectator. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
Parliament of New South Wales
Preceded by Member for Port Macquarie
1996–2008 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia

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