▁( Port ▁Mac qu arie ▁and ▁its ▁prede cess or ▁seat , ▁Ox ley , ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁a ▁conserv ative ▁party ▁without ▁inter ruption ▁since ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁National s ▁for ▁all ▁but ▁six ▁years ▁since ▁ 1 9 4 4 .) ▁ ▁He ▁added ▁that ▁he ▁didn ' t ▁think ▁the ▁National s ▁didn ' t ▁do ▁" en ough ▁due ▁dil ig ence ▁on ▁me " ▁prior ▁to ▁clear ing ▁him ▁to ▁stand ▁for ▁Port ▁Mac qu arie . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁question ed ▁the ▁relev ance ▁of ▁the ▁National s ▁in ▁an ▁elect or ate ▁transformed ▁by ▁dem ographic ▁change ▁and ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁tour ism . ▁In cre asing ly , ▁he ▁concluded ▁that ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁he ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁party ▁room , ▁he ▁would ▁be ▁" a ▁square ▁p eg ▁in ▁a ▁round ▁hole ." ▁He ▁believed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁three ▁options – sp end ▁a ▁de cade ▁in ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁as ▁a ▁" ro bot ron " ▁National ▁member , ▁quit ▁politics , ▁or ▁run ▁as ▁an ▁independent . ▁ ▁O akes h ott ▁res igned ▁from ▁both ▁the ▁shadow ▁cabinet ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁on ▁ 9 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁He ▁subsequently ▁retained ▁the ▁seat ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁State ▁election , ▁gain ing ▁ 6 9 . 7 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁primary ▁vote , ▁compared