akes h ott ▁bill ▁was ▁not ▁passed ▁by ▁the ▁Senate . ▁ ▁Ret irement ▁ ▁O akes h ott ▁retired ▁from ▁politics ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁federal ▁election , ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁contest ▁his ▁seat . ▁It ▁was ▁subsequently ▁won ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁candidate ▁David ▁G illes pie . ▁ ▁Com eb ack ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁O akes h ott ▁announced ▁his ▁candid acy ▁for ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁federal ▁politics ▁at ▁the ▁federal ▁election ▁on ▁ 2 ▁July . ▁He ▁ran ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁in ▁Cow per , ▁which ▁now ▁includes ▁Port ▁Mac qu arie ▁following ▁a ▁red ist ribution . ▁Multiple ▁seat - level ▁opinion ▁pol ls ▁in ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁Cow per ▁found ▁inc umb ent ▁National ▁Luke ▁Hart su y ker ▁and ▁O akes h ott ▁neck ▁and ▁neck ▁on ▁the ▁two - party ▁vote . ▁While ▁Hart su y ker ▁retained ▁the ▁seat , ▁O akes h ott ▁reduced ▁the ▁National ▁majority ▁from ▁a ▁comfort ably ▁safe ▁ 1 3 . 1 ▁percent ▁to ▁a ▁marg inal ▁ 4 . 5 ▁percent . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁O akes h ott ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁stand ▁again ▁in ▁Cow per ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁Australian ▁federal ▁election . ▁He ▁was ▁un success ful ▁in ▁his ▁bid ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁seat . ▁ ▁Private ▁life ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁O akes h ott ▁revealed ▁that ▁he ▁suff ers ▁from