Oakeshott turns down cabinet role

10 Sep 2010, 4:29 pm   -   Source: SBS staff and agencies
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Independent Rob Oakeshott has declined a ministry role (Getty Images)

Independent Rob Oakeshott has declined a ministry role (Getty Images)

Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has declined an offer by Prime Minister Julia Gillard to serve in her cabinet.

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Federal Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has rejected an offer to be a minister in a Labor minority government.

The member for Lyne announced his decision after speaking with with Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Friday afternoon.

Mr Oakeshott said both sides of politics had offered him a portfolio.

But he declined the offer of a regional affairs ministry after talking with family and friends.

Mr Oakeshott said he may have had trouble getting any proposed reforms through parliament.

"I'm hoping it can be bought home by someone with potentially less thorns on them, at the moment, than me," he said.

"If I was to take this portfolio, I think there are some organisations still in parliament that may want to bring the package down."

Mr Oakeshott said there was "political heat" around the circumstances of an independent MP from a regional area supporting a minority Labor government, but he was not against the idea of an independent becoming a minister.

"I have a very strong view that independent MPs have an important role to play, not only on the floor of the parliament but also where, possible the executive," he said.

"No one political party should own any level of that."
 

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