[1] This was triggered by the resignation of independent MP Rob Oakeshott who was elected to the federal seat of Lyne at a by-election the previous month.

The by-election was contested on the same boundaries drawn for Port Macquarie at the 2007 state election.

At that election, the independent MP won the seat over the Nationals by a two-party preferred margin of 78.2% to 21.8%.

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.

The following candidates nominated for the election:[3] Federal Hume MP Alby Schultz was seen campaigning a few times for Besseling, referring to him as "the pick of the candidates", with similar support from Senator Bill Heffernan, sparking anger and resentment within the coalition.