 At that election, the independent MP won the seat over the Nationals by a two-party preferred margin of 78.2% to 21.8%.Created in a 1988 redistribution, Port Macquarie has always been based on Port Macquarie and Laurieton–Camden Haven.It was a safe National Party seat prior to the election of Oakeshott, who was MP for Port Macquarie since 1996, becoming an independent in 2002.