Healthy Contest: Nurse Lines Up Against Former Waratah
Sun Herald
Sunday October 19, 2008
THE shadow of departing independent state MP Rob Oakeshott loomed large over the Port Macquarie byelection .
Oakeshott, 38 - who has moved to the federal seat of Lyne - waged a six-year war with the Nationals.He was originally a member of the rural-based party, succeeding Wendy Machin as National Party MP in 1996. The Nationals had held the seat since its creation in 1988.But he shocked the community when he resigned from his party in 2002. Property developers, he said, were taking over local branches against the interests of the community.His stance proved popular with the electorate. He was re-elected as an independent at the 2003 and 2007 state elections, winning 69.8 per cent and 67.1 per cent respectively of the primary vote.His move to the federal sphere launched yesterday's byelection - a race between his annointed successor, Peter Besseling, and the Nationals' Leslie Williams, a nurse who works at Port Macquarie Base Hospital.On Friday, the influential Port Macquarie News forecast a close contest after a non-scientific survey of 150 voters found an equal number supporting Williams or Besseling, each taking out 32 per cent (48 votes).Mr Besseling, a former Waratahs second-rower and 1999 Ken Catchpole Medallist, has worked as a political adviser for his sometime rugby teammate Oakeshott for the past three years.He was upbeat after voting at St Joseph's High School in Port Macquarie yesterday morning."Put it this way, the electorate got $345 million in the last budget under an independent member. The leader of the Nationals, whose electorate is next door, only saw $94 million spent in his area," he said. "There are great benefits in being independent."After voting, Ms Williams said: "I think all the candidates ran a positive campaign and it is a credit to each and every one of them. I am a grassroots campaigner. I have been lobbying for over a decade for public education."Quite clearly, what I will be able to do is resolve some of the issues at the Port Macquarie Base Hospital."Election analyst Antony Green said Port Macquarie remained a safe National Party seat in two-party preferred terms but history had shown strong support for the independents. Port Macquarie was tipped to be the most tightly fought of yesterday's four polls, with counting expected to go on for some time..
© 2008 Sun Herald
