I see that Oakshot is goimg to cut and run ahead of the election.

No surprise to me, but he should stay and face the music as he, along with the others (Windsor and Willki) have done irreversible damage to the I dependent movement in this country, with their gutless show of unconditional support for this hopeless government.

They should all give their constituents the right to turf them out of office if they so choose, rather than cut and run as he has.

Rob Oakeshott has finally realised that all the pork barrelling in the world won't save him from misrepresenting his electorate, and I am sure that no one will miss this under performing Labor wannabe.

It is said that while power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. His brief time in the spotlight as king maker, and brief shot at Speaker, made him forget who elected him in the first place, and it has become clear that his choices were deeply resented by his electorate.

The remaining question is whether the bell tolls for Windsor as well. TW was in a less conservative electorate for longer with a stronger majority, and certainly did not rub his electorate's noses in it as much, but certainly has seen a big swing against him. Will the swing be enough to counter his huge majority and preferences from Labor?

Windsor's getting out too. For health reasons, he says. Hands up all those who believe that one.

Pair of utter swine. Still we can all look forward to paying them a grotesque pension for the rest of their lives as our way of thanking them for the sterling job well done. /sarc off.

I didn't pick up on Windsor leaving too. While he stood a better chance of winning back his seat than RO, it was clear that he had lost a lot of support, and many now openly despise him. Another term without the ear of the PM would be far less cosy.

It now clears the way for Barnaby Joyce to join the lower house, and for the coalition to add two more seats even without any swing in the polls.

Rechtub and you ask why some do not listen to you.
I live 50 klm away from the electorate of Oakshot.
He has always been much loved.
In an electorate that saw the Nationals/Liberals Pup, had not held both state and federal that seat.
On entering Federal parliament he took a seat once held by the Deputy Prime Minister.
Oakshot goes but in going back to being a National seat, the electorate settles for second best.

Windsor & Oakshott should be charged with Treason.

Tony Windsor and Rod Oakshott are two gentlemen of character and integrity and I for one think our parliament will be lesser for their departure. We need more of their type not less.

Those on this thread who have chosen to denigrate them should know just how much it reveals about their own base hatreds and myopic outlooks.

For those who don't appreciate what they stood for or how they conducted themselves know little about our past and those who should deserve our admiration. Both are laconic individuals who stood apart from the sneering arrogant party sycophants that now pollute our parliament. Each of them managed to keep a degree of humour despite the assaults on their character and even their families. There weren't too many interviews without the twinkle in the eye being evident. Both reminded me of my father's generation or even my grandfather's.

Individualism, integrity, laconic humour, thinkers, old school Australians, I for one am damn sad to see them go and want to personally thank them for the impressive way they have conducted themselves.

The Oakshott speech was too much though csteele. It was cringe-worthy narcissism, hubris and arrogance.

Windsor was a wily old fox, but I think it lessened him to quote Abbott and his graphic 'bend over' type turn of phrase in their private negotiations.

Dear Houellebecq,

I have done your post the justice of going back and listening to the decision speech of Rod Oakshott and Tony Windsor.

It can be found here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Sc2JTarnc

It is really worth listening to.

Oakshott talked about what a 'wicked dilemma' the three had faced saying both Gillard and Abbott would have made good prime ministers and hoping they would work together.

He and Tony Winsor took 17 days to make their decision and he was at pains to explain to the Australian people why they ended up supporting who they did. They assured us there were no 'Smoky cigar/whiskey deals' done and I believe them.

One of the key issues for the pair was stability and an assessment of which leader would be the most likely to keep the parliament together for the following three years, or to put it another way which would be least likely to find the chaffing of minority government too great and call an early election. It is hard to argue they got that wrong.

Both of them flagged broadband for regional Australia as one of their top issues saying we need towe do it once, do it right and do it with fibre. That is now being rolled out.

Oakshott called for members to break ranks when required to vote for the 'good of the electorate and the good of the country'' and that the two leaders now come together to provide stability and outcomes.

Both men also went in to bat for a better deal for regional Australia including education and dealing with Climate Change.

Julia Gillard for the most part honoured these commitments.

I invite you to listen to the speeches and then tell me where I should be looking for the “cringe-worthy narcissism, hubris and arrogance”. Granted these were not well coached party hacks staying 'strictly on message' but they came across as two good men who gave due weight to the responsibilities that were foisted upon them basing their decisions on what was good of their 'electorates and country'.

What is not to admire here?

So how are the polling csteele?

Their voters did not vote for labor, nor did they want their votes supporting labor.

Furthermore, they would be dumbfounded to think these two continued to offer their UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT, despite several barbers cat style threats.

Now had they manned up, there's a very good chance we could afford the likes of education reforms and the NDIS without having to rob from Peter to feed Paul.

Now you can see it any way you choose, but It is their unconditional loyalty to this hopeless government that has seen both of them fall on their swords.

The shameful part is that they are too gutless to stay and face the music.

' tell me where I should be looking for the “cringe-worthy narcissism, hubris and arrogance”.'

I just reckon it was a self indulgent speech stretching it on and on for 20 minutes when everyone just wanted to know who he was supporting. He could have easily said who, then explained his decision.

It was a vast exercise in grandstanding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmwDDap5dyA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H39p6lTV4Gk

Tell me he isn't absolutely lapping up the attention.

'What is not to admire here?'

Going against what your constituency voted for, and bailing before they can vote you out.

'They assured us there were no 'Smoky cigar/whiskey deals' done and I believe them.'

Really? Look, I don't really care about the coalition forming Government, in fact I was happy they supported Gillard (Although I think it would have been more stable with Mr Rabbit, as it would have been a bigger majority?), but you cant seriously believe it had nothing to do with their grudges against the Nationals?

Dear Houellebecq,

I think 17 minutes might have seen it out rather than 20. In fact it was only 2 minutes longer than Julia Gillard's misogyny speech and calling it 'vast exercise in grandstanding' is overstating it more than a little.

And why do you accuse him of “Going against what your constituency voted for”? They overwhelmingly voted for him knowing full well his record in his first term.

“In his first term, Oakeshott voted 32 times with the ruling Labor government (including in support of the proposed emission trading scheme) and nine 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.” Wikipedia

The people of New England and Lyne accepted the premise that the marrying of the Nationals to the Liberals came at the expense of regional voters. This is why they gave these two such support. Both saw substantial gains for regional Australia managing to have it husbanded under its own ministry. Rod Oakshott was of course offered the position of Minister but turned it down, not something you do if you strictly want the power and limelight.

Here is a little exercise, can you tell me who do you think is more deserving of the label “cringe-worthy narcissism, hubris and arrogance”, Rod Oakshott or Christopher Pyne?

Once the heat comes out of this I think any fair minded assessment of the actions of these two should see their integrity acknowledge and respected. As Bernard Keane writes;

“For much of the last three years, Windsor and Oakeshott have looked like the only adults in Parliament, particularly Windsor, who always seemed to take seriously the stuff that needed to be taken seriously but knew that most of the rest was nonsense.”

http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/06/26/windsor-and-oakeshott-independents-alike-to-the-last/

Two damn fine Australians in my book. Should be more of them.

anyway you look at it they were part of a hopelessly incompetent Government. They leave hanging their heads in shame.

...I I think 17 minutes might have seen it out rather than 20. In fact it was only 2 minutes longer than Julia Gillard's misogyny speech and calling it 'vast exercise in grandstanding' is overstating it more than a little.

WOW, talk about splitting hairs.

Now there's a HUGE difference, as the countries next three years was riding on the stretched out outcome of that speech.

...but rather because he believed in allowing governments to govern

More reason that siding with the libs would have made a far better majority, leading the way for easier governing.

It stands to reason that if you wish to aid any government, in a hung parliament, that your vote would be far better placed with the one who stood the chance of having the greater majority, which in this case was the libs, as Bob Katter had already announced his move.

My quick calculations would have seen the libs with a three seat majority, not just one.

More of the same nastiness,
coming across here from the usual predictable
sources.

Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott are an example of
how politicians should work. They were reasonable
men who took their job seriously. They insisted on
scrutiny, and research and consultation. They
always tried to act in the best interests of the nation,
even when it had the potential to damage their own causes.

Mr "Point of Order," Christopher Pyne made the asinine
statement that the reason these Independents were leaving
was due to the fact that they would not be re-elected.
A truly asinine statement given their 2010 election results
and a perfect example of the type of nonsense to which the
Independents (and the former PM) have been subjected during
their entire difficult time in this minority government.

I only wish that there were more politicians like them.
Our Parliament will certainly be the poorer by their
absence.

Dear rehctub,

You wrote;

“It stands to reason that if you wish to aid any government, in a hung parliament, that your vote would be far better placed with the one who stood the chance of having the greater majority, which in this case was the libs, as Bob Katter had already announced his move.”

While not a position I agree with it is still a reasonable one. Rod Oakshott made his own decision based on 17 days of careful deliberation. He came to a different conclusion and if Abbott had chosen made more constructive use of a hung parliament I think his hopes for the following three years may well have been realised. That was his biggest misjudgement in my book but I still applaud the idealism.

What is not a reasonable position is to be labelling either of these gentlemen as corrupt, gutless, treasonous, swine which they are patently not.

There was a little snippet on Late Line last night where Rod Oakshott reaffirmed to Julia Gillard in parliament what he had texted to he after the ballot, that her father would have been proud of her. I think that was a gesture of a sincere and caring individual. Compare that to Abbott's 'Dying of Shame!' salvo he aimed at the Prime Minister in a premeditated and scripted attack on her at a vulnerable period in her life and I think the differences between the behaviour of these two independents, measured and gentlemanly, compared to the savagery of party politics is stark. That savagery is reflected in the tone of many of the posts here and does none of you credit.

I repeat, these two have conducted themselves in a manner any of us would hope for our politicians, and they should be lauded for what they are, fine examples of members who did the best for their constituents, regional Australia, and the country.

Even if you totally disagree about their decision the fact you can't recognise these men for what they are and what they represent is just plain sad.

Oakeshott and Windsor have abandoned ship before they were humiliated at the polls.

Lexi is being completely partisan, the only reason she sings these idiots praise is because they betrayed their conservative electorates to give us the worst government after Whitlam.

No thread on the independents would be complete without revisiting Windsor's take on Mr Abbott.

http://watchingthedeniers.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/youre-an-absolute-disgrace-full-text-of-tony-windsors-speech-that-put-abbott-in-his-place/

Who could forget Mr Abbott famously imploring him with the words' "I will do anything, Tony [Windsor], to get this job, the only thing I wouldn't do is sell my arse."

There's yer dinky-di man of honour.

What do you reckon, rehctub?

SM,

Just to correct your nonsense.

These two gentlemen are much loved in their
electorates. I know. I have families that
live there. However as stated previously,
your statement is a pefect
example of the sheer nonsense to which these
Independents have been subjected.

And you've got the cheek to talk about "partisanship,"
and bad governments. Ah well, please continue to give
examples to us all - of how your side of politics works.
Elections are coming up and people need to see what you
guys really stand for.

Lexi,
Those two are as bad as that Wellington fellow who got the useless Beatty mob into Govt in Qld. Perhaps you don't care because you're sitting pretty in your library but those of us who are out working weren't at all happy with either Rudd/Gillard nor Beatty/Bligh.

The last independent poll in RO's electorate put him at 14%, while you will find friends and family that liked him, most didn't. He got what he deserved "time to spend with his family"

TW started with a much bigger majority, but the swing against him was also huge. With campaigning BJ was likely to win.

SM,

Again, to correct a few things.

According to the local papers shock has been a common
reaction on the streets of Tamworth, with many
expressing the sadness at the announcement of Tony
Windsor leaving Parliament. The man has held his seat
for 12 years and before that the State seat of
Tamworth for 10 years. He has achieved a great deal in
the electorate and is held in very high regard by most
people.

Rob Oakeshott's seat of Lyne - the reaction was just as strong.
He is held in high regard. In the 2010 election he
had a 47.2 percent swing. As I stated earlier most people
recognise the good that has been done by these men in their
best interests. These men are considered as being reasonable
men who took their jobs seriously. Their electorates and
Parliament will be the poorer by their absence.

Lexi,

You must be reading different papers. I believe that many were happy to see the back of two idiots who misrepresented their electorates.

Yes SM, not only did they misrepresent their electorates, but they also comtinued their unconditional support tom this government blunder after blunder after blunder.

They simply cooked their own goose.

Cooked goose is ok, and so to is cooked Abbott. Qld in turmoil rising debt, makes for a one sided election.