▁support ▁the ▁minor ity ▁Labor ▁Government ▁if ▁Labor ▁changed ▁leaders . ▁He ▁further ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁be ▁prepared ▁to ▁work ▁with ▁who ever ▁could ▁provide ▁stable ▁government ▁and ▁would ▁consider ▁negoti ating ▁with ▁the ▁Liberal - National ▁coal ition ▁to ▁that ▁end , ▁although ▁his ▁preference ▁would ▁be ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁former ▁opposition ▁leader ▁Mal col m ▁Turn b ull ▁over ▁Tony ▁Abb ott . ▁In ▁the ▁event , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Julia ▁Gill ard ▁surv ived ▁the ▁leadership ▁sp ill ▁and ▁O akes h ott ▁continued ▁his ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁minor ity ▁Labor ▁Government , ▁although ▁he ▁again ▁expressed ▁support ▁for ▁Turn b ull ▁over ▁Abb ott ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁leadership ▁sp ill ▁was ▁decided . ▁ ▁O akes h ott ' s ▁support ▁for ▁Labor ▁didn ' t ▁play ▁well ▁with ▁his ▁constitu ents . ▁Despite ▁his ▁large ▁personal ▁majority , ▁both ▁his ▁federal ▁and ▁state ▁elect or ates ▁were ▁still ▁comfort ably ▁safe ▁National ▁seats ▁in ▁" trad itional " ▁two - party ▁match ups . ▁ ▁Pro ving ▁this , ▁B ess eling ▁lost ▁Port ▁Mac qu arie ▁to ▁the ▁National s ' ▁Les lie ▁Williams ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁state ▁election ▁partly ▁due ▁to ▁vot er ▁anger ▁at ▁O akes h ott ' s ▁support ▁for ▁Gill ard . ▁ ▁Im m igration ▁legisl ation ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁O akes h ott ▁introduced ▁a ▁private ▁member ' s ▁bill ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁Australian ▁Minister ▁of ▁Im m igration ▁to ▁author