▁James ▁Murray ▁O akes h ott ▁( born ▁ 1 4 ▁December ▁ 1 9 6 9 ) ▁is ▁an ▁Australian ▁politician . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁independent ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁for ▁the ▁Division ▁of ▁Ly ne ▁in ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁when ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Ly ne ▁by - e lection , ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁O akes h ott ▁described ▁his ▁views ▁as ▁econom ically ▁conserv ative ▁and ▁soci ally ▁progress ive . ▁ ▁O akes h ott ▁began ▁his ▁political ▁career ▁in ▁state ▁politics . ▁Origin ally ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁state ▁seat ▁of ▁Port ▁Mac qu arie ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁he ▁left ▁the ▁party ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁Independent ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁O akes h ott ▁retained ▁the ▁seat ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁when ▁he ▁res igned ▁to ▁contest ▁the ▁federal ▁seat ▁of ▁Ly ne , ▁which ▁he ▁won ▁with ▁a ▁large ▁margin . ▁He ▁retained ▁Ly ne ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁election , ▁again ▁with ▁a ▁large ▁margin . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁election ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁hung ▁parliament , ▁with ▁the ▁diverse ▁cross ben ch ▁holding ▁the ▁balance ▁of ▁power . ▁O akes h ott , ▁Tony ▁W inds or ▁and ▁other ▁cross ben ch ers ▁agreed ▁to ▁back