While it is true that Prime Minister Gillard favoured Lyne in return for Mr Oakeshott’s support for her minority government that favouritism would only be possible again in the event of a hung Parliament where Mr Oakeshott was in a position to deliver majority government.

At present there are seven independent MPs in Parliament and the Government does not depend on any of them to govern. No favouritism is in play.  There is no special treatment for independents. 

Independents may be great local members and popular with constituents but it has only been once in living memory that they have been seduced into supporting a minority government. That was when Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor delivered government to Julia Gillard after the election in 2010 when Labor and Liberal each won 72 seats.

It is a reality that the Government bureaucracy and its instrumentalities continue on regardless of MPs. For instance, the Pacific Highway upgrade has been planned for decades - it started under Whitlam in 1973 - and it will continue to roll out until completed. With respect to all MPs they have no impact on decisions like the next stage of a highway project. Bigger forces are at work.

All governments allocate money to all electorates on the basis of assessed need; these days mostly determined by expert or specialist panels. Right now millions are being poured into drought relief regardless of who the MPs might be or what party they belong to.

Members of the governing party can and do influence policy - independents cannot and do not. The situation that existed between 2010 and 2013 is unlikely to be repeated.

Stephen Lusher

Port Macquarie