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Rob Oakeshott was the independent member for Lyne for five years from 2008 until 2013.
Oakeshott was previously a Nationals and an independent member of the NSW Legislative Assembly. He won Lyne at a by-election in September 2008, following the retirement of the former Nationals leader, Mark Vaile. [Read more…]
Rob Oakeshott has shot back at Sydney Morning Herald columnist Gerard Henderson over his comments on minority government.
The member for Lyne, one of the rural independents whose support is crucial to the survival of Julia Gillard’s minority Labor government, was responding to yesterday’s column by Henderson which argued that “the Australian body politic is clearly afflicted by the minority obsession”.
Henderson claimed: “For more than two years, a number of poor political decisions and misjudged statements can be directly attributed to the minority obsession’s prevalence. Most recently, some of the assessments of the Federal Court in Ashby v Commonwealth of Australia.”
In his response, Oakeshott said “the dreamers for majority” had failed to adjust to the “new normal” of multi-party democracy. Oakeshott defended his decision to support a minority Labor government, even when “the ALP has gone missing on some key items agreed to”.
He wrote: “Better education and health polices, a market-based emissions trading scheme being implemented, a rate of return and equity being delivered through a national broadband strategy, progress on bi-partisan recognition of Australia’s 40,000-year-old history in our Constitution, and the starting elements of tax reform, are all positive reasons why I did what I did, and why I stand by it.”
This article appeared on the website of the member for Lyne, Rob Oakeshott.
A FOOLISH SUMMATION OF MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY
Mr Gerard Henderson yesterday continued his convenient and ongoing obsession with minority government, and his attacks on colleague Tony Windsor and I in particular (Minority rule makes fools of both sides of the house). The executive director of the conservative Australian current affairs forum has never spoken to me, or to my knowledge to Mr Windsor, so his “insight” into the events leading up to the incumbent government securing a working majority is exposed and needs correcting. [Read more…]
Rob Oakeshott won the NSW rural electorate of Lyne in a by-election on September 6, 2008.
Oakeshott stood as an independent in the formerly Nationals seat. It had been vacated by the former Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile.
Oakeshott was first elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly as the Nationals member for Port Macquarie in 1996.
He resigned to sit as an independent in 2002 and was subsequently re-elected as an independent.
Hansard transcript of Rob Oakeshott’s first speech to the House of Representatives.
Mr OAKESHOTT (4:50 PM) —‘Jum-mada-gai’ are three Aboriginal words from my home that mean ‘Come, you’re welcome.’ I start with this standing invitation to all who are listening that you are welcome to my place, called the mid-north coast of New South Wales, and in particular those who have the power to help on the many issues that I will be raising tonight and over the coming years. And I also start with these words as an act of respect—an act of respect now done by all three councils within the Lyne electorate, an act of respect now done by the New South Wales parliament and an act of respect that I am therefore both surprised and disappointed this parliament is yet to adopt as part of its daily practice. [Read more…]
The outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and leader of The Nationals, Mark Vaile, has announced that he is stepping down.
Vaile said it was time for generational change in the party. He said he would continue to represent his NSW electorate of Lyne.
Vaile’s departure means that the top three names in the Howard government have now effectively departed the political scene.
Vaile has represented the northern NSW electorate of Lyne since 1993.
He was appointed Minister for Transport and Regional Development in the Howard government in 1997. In 1998, he became Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. In July 1999, he became deputy leader of The Nationals when John Anderson became leader.
Vaile became Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister after Anderson retired in July 2005. He switched portfolios with Warren Truss in 2006 and became Minister for Transport and Regional Services.