Independent candidate Rob Oakeshott with his family.Credit:James Brickwood
But if there is no clear winner following May 18,Mr Oakeshott says Mr Morrison would still be the prime minister in the immediate election aftermath and have the right to first negotiations with potential crossbenchers.
"Would I pick up the phone? Yeah,I would,"Mr Oakeshott said."But it would not be a one-way conversation,he's the one seeking my support ... I think it's quite obvious there would be terms and conditions attached. And I don't think that's anything to fear,that's just a pragmatic reality of the process."
Mr Oakeshott,as the former independent member for Lyne,famously supported the Gillard Labor government after the 2010 federal election,leading his Nationals opponents to criticise him as"Labor in independent's clothing".
The Nationals start with a comfortable margin of 12.6 per cent in Cowper,but on the ground the seat is viewed as marginal.
Nationals sources say Cowper,which takes in Port Macquarie,Coffs Harbour and Kempsey on the NSW mid-north coast,is one of the party's two closest contests,along with the regional Queensland seat of Flynn. Internal party polling has the seat marked"line ball".
Mr Oakeshott has about 1000 volunteers to help him try to take a seat the Nationals have held for the best part of 100 years (he is contesting Cowper,not his old seat,due to a boundary change). With eight state and federal campaigns behind him,Mr Oakeshott says,"this is an unprecedented level of support".