Rob Oakeshott supports green goals

Rob Oakeshott is staging a comeback with a green platform in a bid to win a northern NSW seat.

Rob Oakeshott is operating three campaign offices, including one in Port Macquarie (pictured). Picture: Britta Campion

Rob Oakeshott, one of the kingmakers who handed Julia Gillard government in 2010, is pushing a deep green policy platform to win the northern NSW seat of Cowper from the Nationals, supporting a 100 per cent renewable target and establishment of a Climate Change Authority.

Senior Nationals sources yesterday said they believed Mr Oakeshott, who secured more than 26 per cent of primary vote at the 2016 election following a short campaign, could claim Cowper on May 18, giving him a potential ­balance-of-power role in a tight election race.

Mr Oakeshott, who “retired” from politics, choosing not to recontest the seat of Lyne at the 2013 election, is viewed as a major threat following the departure of Luke Hartsuyker, who has held the seat since 2001.

The independent candidate, who helped Labor implement its carbon tax in 2011, is pitching a green policy manifesto, calling for a royal commission into climate change and energy policy, and a rapid shift to a renewable energy future.

“I believe Australia can transition to 100 per cent renewable energy, and should be aiming for at least 50 per cent by 2030,” he says on his campaign website.

“Climate change is real. Yet nearly a decade after I risked my political reputation on the implementation of a carbon market in Australia, both the government and the National Party have no policy for climate change, while Labor’s policy doesn’t go far enough.”

His election platform includes plans for a new independent climate change authority, another advising the government on food, soil and water “and how this relates to food and nutrition”, and a third to advise on biodiversity ­protection.

Asked whether he would support Labor in a hung parliament scenario as he did following the 2010 election, Mr Oakeshott told The Australian the onus would be on Scott Morrison to “pick up the phone” and “start talking sensibly to all other MPs”.

Mr Oakeshott, who was backed by GetUp at the 2016 election, is operating three campaign offices — in Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and West Kempsey.

“Assuming I am one of those, I would receive his call and hear what he’s got to say, and where he is willing to do better,” Mr Oakeshott said. “Decisions would be based on those discussions.”

He did not deny he was working with independent candidates including Julia Banks, Zali Steggall, Kerryn Phelps and Helen Haines.

The five candidates, as well as Kooyong independent candidate Oliver Yates, are operating similar websites.

“Nationbuilder is a common open-source website. While I am supportive of other independent candidates, and there are always issues of common ground, my individual campaign is driven by a local team of 820 volunteers and supporters,” he said.

Mr Oakeshott, whose campaign is being backed by activist blogger Margo Kingston and is being advised by former ABC sports broadcaster Debbie Spillane, has been accused by Coalition sources of expressing mixed messages over Labor’s so-called “retiree tax”.

With Cowper one of the nat­ion’s top retirement havens, Mr Oakeshott, who supports the implementation of a “comprehensive tax reform process”, said he viewed Bill Shorten’s policy with “great caution”.

“Many locals have structured their retirement based on investment advice given and the idea of plucking one of two tax ideas off the shelf is not my idea of long-term rebuilding and restructuring of our tax system.”

Mr Oakeshott confirmed he would also pursue the so-called “watergate” issue, which has ­dogged the Coalition.