FORMER Independent MP Rob Oakeshott says the New England electorate is now “alive” politically thanks to Tony Windsor’s comeback challenge on Barnaby Joyce at the upcoming federal election.
The retired MP said Mr Windsor’s fight also signals to others they need to nominate and contest electorates, beyond the traditional processes driven by major political parties.
Mr Oakeshott sat with Mr Windsor under the intense national spotlight of the crossbench in the previous hung parliament after they struck the $10 billion deal for regional Australia that underpinned their support of the Gillard Labor government.
The rural independents both resigned leading into the 2013 election but Mr Windsor has now decided to contest New England to try and reclaim the seat that Mr Joyce holds with a safe majority.
That bitter challenge has also restricted the leader’s capacity to campaign and fundraise for the Nationals during the election lead-up, in an effort to win or retain marginal seats or claim others engaged in three cornered contests, like Murray in regional Victoria.
Mr Oakeshott joined Mr Windsor to champion and vote for the implementation of a carbon pricing scheme, to try and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in the last parliament, which was subsequently repealed under the Abbott regime.
In retirement, the 46-year-old has been working as a contractor with the United Nations in Myanmar and Fiji and also studying to be a medical doctor while bringing up his four children.
While reluctant to comment on specific policy issues, Mr Oakeshott said that by just standing at the upcoming election, Mr Windsor had done an “outstanding job” in making the seat of New England “alive”.
“He has shown leadership by standing up and making it a contest,” he said.
“Even before the election, we are all seeing previously ignored, long-standing community issues finally start to get looked at.”
With a double dissolution election set for July 2, Mr Oakeshott said Mr Windsor’s move to challenge for New England and create a political contest was also a “call-out to all Australians over the coming month”.
“Now is the time to think about actually standing as a candidate in your area,” he said.
“The Australian Electoral Commission website shows it’s not rocket science to stand.
“And just by standing, important issues get addressed and your electorate comes alive.
“Tony Windsor is the living, breathing example of this in action.”
Mr Oakeshott said in Australia, political parties had done a good job scaring people away from standing as candidates.
“In my view, that's unhealthy,” he said.
“A true 'people's democracy' requires the participation of the key ingredient - people.
“Everyone should seriously consider standing.
“Obviously it’s not right for all, but it is good for local electorates to have good people willing to ‘have a go’.”
Mr Oakeshott won Lyne in 2008 at a by-election held when former Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile retired.
He was initially elected for the Nationals in the NSW State Parliament in 1996 for the seat of Port Macquarie but turned independent in 2002.
He was replaced at the 2013 election by Nationals MP David Gillespie who now holds it by a margin of 14.8 per cent with the carbon tax repeal a key electoral battle.
In May last year, Fairfax Media revealed Mr Windsor remained interested in making a political comeback to reclaim the seat he first won in 2001 that Mr Joyce now holds by a 19pc margin, after shifting from the Senate for the Queensland LNP to the lower house, to fulfil his leadership ambitions.
In May 2015, Mr Windsor - who retired from politics citing health concerns and a desire to return to his family farming roots - said “I thought I’d be less interested in what’s going on in politics and with different issues in my retirement but that hasn’t been the case”.
“I haven’t ruled out a comeback but I also haven’t ruled it in - I’m still making up my mind,” he said.
Mr Joyce has been critical of the two independent MP’s role in supporting Labor to form the previous government, along with the Greens in the Senate.
He has criticised them supporting the passing of legislation, like the carbon tax introduction, which increased operating costs for economic sectors like agriculture but achieved little practical value, to combat climate change impacts.
The Nationals leader has also attacked Mr Windsor’s political return, saying the National Party in government, and with various ministers, can make election promises and deliver on them - but independents were not in such a position.
“We will deliver, they will wish,” he said on Friday.
