Independents ahead in Lyne

High profile independent Robert Oakeshott has taken an early lead as counting begins in the by-election for the federal seat of Lyne on the NSW mid-north coast.
The poll has been prompted by the departure of former Nationals leader Mark Vaile.
With almost a third of votes counted, Mr Oakeshott had taken 61.9 per cent of the
tally with 16,841 votes.
Nationals candidate Rob Drew had 23.5 per cent with 6,401 votes, while Greens
candidate Susie Russell had 7.6 per cent with 2,080.
If the Nationals lose the seat, the party will be reduced to nine MPs in the House
of Representatives.
Early Saturday afternoon Mr Drew still held hopes of beating Mr Oakeshott in a
contest without a Labor contender.
"I'm still feeling confident that we'll be able to get over the line," Mr Drew said.
But Nationals leader Warren Truss conceded the party would likely lose Lyne because
of Mr Oakeshott's personal popularity and Labor voters flocking to him.
If he was successful in claiming Lyne after almost 60 years in Nationals' hands, Mr
Oakeshott said, it would send a message to every MP in Australia.
"That message is you have to represent your electorate first and if you don't the
community will rise and kick you in the bum," he said.
Lyne takes in Port Macquarie at the mouth of the Hastings River and the regional
centre of Taree in the Manning River valley.
Health and aged care have been major issues in the campaign as the ageing population
continues to boom in the area.