The plot thickens.......giving Oakeshott some money can take you a long way.
---------------------------- INDEPENDENT MP Rob Oakeshott personally lobbied Defence boss Angus Houston to give a key election donor preferential treatment for lucrative government contracts.
The explosive revelation came as Prime Minister Julia Gillard signalled the MP, who wants a squeaky clean government, also raised the case of Birdon Marine during crucial talks over who would form government.
"He may have raised it once and I just don't specifically recall the conversation," Ms Gillard said yesterday.
The Daily Telegraph revealed this week Mr Oakeshott lobbied both Ms Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to ensure Birdon was given a greater slice of the $9 billion in Defence contracts.
But what he forget to tell them was that Birdon had donated at least $20,000 to his election campaigns over the years - including $5000 for the August election.
Angry that Birdon missed out on a $49.5 million contract last week, Mr Oakeshott is now seeking an "independent review" into the Defence tender process.
