Picture: Getty/Stefan Posteles
Rob Oakeshott Tony Windsor, two key Australian independent MPs, both announced today they will not contest their seats at the September 14 election.
With both Oakeshott’s and Windsor’s support the Labor Party was able to form a minority government from the hung parliament after Australia’s 2010 federal election.
Oakeshott announced he wasn’t going to contest his New South Wales North Coast seat in his local newspaper the Macleay Argus on Wednesday.
Tony Winsor, on ABC News this morning, said he “did not want to be in parliament in three years,” and would be quitting politics at the election for a number of reasons, including a “health issue.”
He is also not contesting his seat of New England for family reasons.
“As much as I like election campaigns, my wife doesn’t.
“My youngest son, who’s only 21, who’s never known me as anything else than a politician, I’d like to take him to Africa,” he said at a press conference reported by ABC News.
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