▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁Gill ard ▁Labor ▁government ▁to ▁form ▁minor ity ▁government , ▁providing ▁it ▁with ▁confidence ▁and ▁supply , ▁while ▁retain ing ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁vote ▁on ▁conscience ▁in ▁any ▁other ▁matters . ▁ ▁O akes h ott ▁retired ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁election , ▁choosing ▁not ▁to ▁re cont est ▁his ▁seat . ▁O akes h ott ▁cont ested ▁the ▁Division ▁of ▁Cow per ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁election , ▁challeng ing ▁National ▁inc umb ent ▁Luke ▁Hart su y ker . ▁Cow per ▁had ▁absor bed ▁Port ▁Mac qu arie ▁after ▁the ▁latest ▁red ist ribution . ▁O akes h ott ▁lost ▁the ▁election , ▁but ▁managed ▁to ▁turn ▁the ▁once - safe ▁National ▁seat ▁into ▁a ▁marg inal ▁seat . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁O akes h ott ▁announced ▁his ▁candid acy ▁for ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁Cow per ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁Australian ▁federal ▁election . ▁Where ▁the ▁National s ▁retained ▁the ▁seat ▁with ▁a ▁small ▁swing ▁towards ▁them . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁ ▁O akes h ott ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁L ism ore . ▁His ▁father , ▁also ▁named ▁Rob ▁O akes h ott , ▁was ▁a ▁doctor ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁and ▁his ▁grand father ▁Captain ▁John ▁O akes h ott ▁was ▁a ▁prisoner ▁of ▁war ▁and ▁surv ived ▁the ▁Sand ak an ▁Death ▁March es . ▁ ▁His