Editing Tony Windsor (section)

==Federal political career==
Windsor resigned from the state parliament in September 2001 in order to contest the federal seat of New England.<ref name=pbio>{{cite NSW Parliament |title      = Mr Antony Harold Curties Windsor (1950– ) |id=2065 |former=Yes |accessdate=13 May 2019}}</ref>

In the federal election held later that year, he defeated one-term National incumbent [[Stuart St. Clair]].<ref name="Schultz APH">{{Cite Au Parliament|mpid=009LP|name=Mr Tony Windsor MP|access-date=2022-08-01}}</ref> Windsor took a large lead on the first count, and defeated St. Clair on Labor and other party preferences.  Windsor's victory was considered a shock result, since the National Party and its predecessor, the Country Party, had held New England since 1922, usually without serious difficulty.

In September 2004, in an interview with Tony Vermeer from ''[[The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney)|The Sunday Telegraph]]'',<ref name="Hansard"/> Windsor was the centre of controversy over an alleged breach of the Commonwealth Electoral Act. Windsor claimed that he had been approached, in May 2004, by a figure associated with the National Party with the offer of a diplomatic position in exchange for retiring from politics. Windsor made the allegations during the course of the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 federal election]] campaign,<ref name="AEC2004">{{Cite web
      | url        = http://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/media_releases/2004/election_complaint.htm
      | title      = Election Complaint – Allegation of Bribery
      | work       = Media release
      | publisher  = [[Australian Electoral Commission]]
      | date       = 22 November 2004
      | accessdate = 13 October 2010}}</ref> some five months after the incident allegedly occurred.<ref name="SMHSheehan"/> The [[Australian Electoral Commission]] referred the matter to the [[Australian Federal Police]] (AFP).<ref name="AEC2004"/> Windsor was comfortably re-elected in the October 2004 election, increasing his majority to 21 percent.  A month later, speaking under [[parliamentary privilege]], he said that National Party leader [[John Anderson (Australian politician)|John Anderson]] and Senator [[Sandy Macdonald]] had made the offer through an intermediary, [[Tamworth, New South Wales|Tamworth]] businessman Greg McGuire. Windsor also claimed that the AFP had referred the matter to the [[Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions]] for determination.<ref name="Hansard">{{Cite journal
 |url         = http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr171104.pdf
 |title       = Adjournment Debate
 |journal        = Hansard, House of Representatives
 |number      = 1, 2004
 |publisher   = Commonwealth of Australia
 |pages       = 151–2, 158
 |date        = 17 November 2004
 |accessdate  = 13 October 2010
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20101011151229/http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr171104.pdf
 |archivedate = 11 October 2010
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> Anderson, Macdonald, and McGuire denied the claims.<ref name="SMHSheehan">{{Cite news
      | url        = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/11/21/1100972259749.html
      | author     = Sheehan, Paul
      | title      = Kingmaker Windsor falls on his sword
      | work       = The Sydney Morning Herald
      | date       = 22 November 2004
      | accessdate = 18 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
      | url        = http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200411/s1246566.htm
      | title      = Anderson quizzed over bribe claims
      | work       = [[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]
      | location   = Australia
      | date       = 18 November 2004
      | accessdate = 18 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
      | url        = http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/s1245861.htm
      | author     = Brissenden, Michael
      | title      = Windsor names alleged plotters bent on ousting him
      | work       = [[7:30 Report]]
      | location   = Australia
      | date       = 17 November 2004
      | accessdate = 13 August 2010}}</ref> The AFP investigated Windsor's claims and advised that the matter would not be prosecuted.<ref name="AEC2004"/><ref>{{Cite news
      | url        = http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/s1250105.htm
      | author     = Brissenden, Michael
      | title      = Key regional seats promised millions during election
      | work       = 7:30 Report
      | date       = 22 November 2004
      | accessdate = 13 August 2010}}</ref>

Windsor was comfortably re-elected in [[2007 Australian federal election|2007]], increasing his majority to 24 per cent.

===2010 federal election===
As one of the six [[crossbencher]]s elected to the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] at the [[2010 Australian federal election|2010 election]], Windsor was at the centre of negotiations to determine the government after both major parties failed to win a majority in their own right. Windsor, together with [[Rob Oakeshott]] and [[Bob Katter]], initially resolved to form a bloc to assist negotiations with the major parties to form government.<ref>{{Cite news
      | url        = http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/trio-joins-forces-as-gillard-claims-right-to-govern-20100822-13axd.html?autostart=1
      | author     = Grattan, Michelle
      | author2    = Colebatch, Tim
      | author3    = Gordon, Michael
      | title      = Trio joins forces as Gillard claims right to govern
      | work       = [[The Age]]
      | location   = Australia
      | date       = 23 August 2010
      | accessdate = 29 August 2010
      | authorlink    = Michelle Grattan}}</ref> However, several days later, Windsor claimed it should not be assumed that the three rural independents would move together.<ref>{{Cite news
      | url        = http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/independents-may-split-to-seal-a-deal-20100828-13wv6.html
      | author     = Gordon, Josh
      | title      = Independents may split to seal a deal
      | work       = The Sydney Morning Herald
      | date       = 29 August 2010
      | accessdate = 29 August 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
      | url        = http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/independents-could-go-separate-ways-20100828-13wxs.html
      | author     = Gordon, Josh
      | author2    = Munro, Peter
      | author3    = Darby, Andrew
      | title      = Independents could go separate ways
      | work       = The Sydney Morning Herald
      | date       = 29 August 2010
      | accessdate = 29 August 2010}}</ref> In a press conference on 7 September 2010, Windsor revealed that he would support the incumbent Labor government during [[Motion of no confidence|confidence motions]] and supply bills.  Oakeshott also threw his support to the incumbent Labor government, handing Labor a second term.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/labor-over-the-line-windsor-and-oakeshott-hand-power-to-gillard-20100907-14you.html|title=Labor over the line: Windsor and Oakeshott hand power to Gillard|last=Davis|first=Mark|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=7 September 2010|accessdate=7 September 2010}}</ref>

It had been assumed that Windsor would support the Coalition due to his past membership of the National Party but on this Windsor made an analogy of him being an ex-smoker: "I've never been in parliament as a National, I gave up smoking about the same time [and] I've rid myself of two cancers".<ref>{{cite web | title=They said it  | website=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=23 August 2010 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-08-23/they-said-it/954554 | access-date=31 August 2020}}</ref>

Windsor is known as the architect of the bill which became an amendment to the ''[[Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999]]'' (EPBC Act) known as the [[water trigger]]. The new legislation forced the government through a process whereby actions by large [[coal mining]] developments, in particular [[coal seam gas]], which may adversely affect [[groundwater]] in the area and thereby significantly affecting [[water resources]], had to be assessed for [[environmental impact]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Hannam | first=Peter | title=Morrison government faces legal challenge over Adani pipeline plan | website=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=16 March 2020 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/morrison-government-faces-legal-challenge-over-adani-pipeline-plan-20200316-p54an6.html | access-date=31 August 2020}}</ref>

===2013 federal election===
On 26 June 2013 Windsor announced that he would not be contesting the [[2013 Australian federal election|2013 election]]; partly due to an undisclosed medical condition.<ref name=ABCretire>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-26/tony-windsor-and-rob-oakeshott-are-quitting-politics/4780492 |title=Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott announce they are quitting politics |author=Griffiths, Emma |date=26 June 2013 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |accessdate=26 June 2013 }}</ref>

===2016 federal election===
On 10 March 2016, Windsor announced his intention to contest his former seat of [[Division of New England|New England]] as an [[Independent (politics)|independent]] candidate at the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 election]]. Windsor faced incumbent [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia]] and Leader of the [[National Party of Australia]] [[Barnaby Joyce]] at the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 election]], who had won the seat upon Windsor's retirement at the previous election.<ref name="2016elect">{{cite news|title=Barnaby Joyce prepared for 'battle' against Tony Windsor in New England|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-10/joyce-prepared-for-battle-against-windsor/7235642|accessdate=10 March 2016|work=ABC News|date=10 March 2016}}</ref> [[Opinion polling for the Australian federal election, 2016#New South Wales|Seat-level polling in the seat of New England]] found Joyce and Windsor neck and neck.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/29/tony-windsor-could-beat-barnaby-joyce-in-new-england-seat-poll-says Tony Windsor could beat Barnaby Joyce in New England seat, poll says: The Guardian 29 February 2016]</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-14/joyce-says-he's-the-'underdog'-in-fight-for-his-seat/7243846 Barnaby Joyce claims 'underdog' status against Tony Windsor in fight to keep seat of New England: ABC 14 March 2016]</ref><ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/newspoll/deputy-pm-in-danger-of-wipeout/news-story/360d853fd376fc379ecfb52e7fc6a088 Deputy PM in danger of wipe-out: The Australian 14 March 2016]</ref> On election day, however, Windsor was convincingly defeated, taking 41 percent of the two-party vote.  Joyce was able to win a majority on the primary vote, enough to retain the seat without the need for preferences.
Before his defeat at this election Windsor said, "You haven't seen the last of me" and was asked if he would stand again if he did not win he answered, "I wouldn't rule anything out."<ref>"Right Old Barney - A hard fight but Joyce (and daughters) see off Windsor", Townsend, Samantha, Sunday Telegraph (Sydney, Australia) July 3, 2016</ref>