There can be no other description.

Unless yesterday evening's caucus meeting provides the closing scenes of Prime Minister Julia Gillard's term the decision by the two independents - Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott - to step down and not contest the September 14 poll was quite amazing.

Add to the mix the warning by Mr Windsor that in the likelihood of Kevin Rudd becoming the leader of the ALP, Windsor's support would shift to Tony Abbott and thus throwing the minority government into chaos.

As this opinion piece is being penned, Mr Rudd is announcing he will stand for the leadership ballot. He has pledged is he loses the ballot tonight he will not stand again in his seat. And he will hold the Prime Minister to her promise to step down if she loses the ballot.

Amidst the action yesterday was the end of a 22-year state and federal political career for Mr Windsor.

Mr Windsor was the keynote speaker at last year's Tony McGrane dinner, hosted by the Dubbo campus of the Charles Sturt University.

His opponent in the seat of New England is Barnaby Joyce, who had this to say about his erstwhile opponent: "I think it's very important that in this political game of football that we all participate in that people clearly understand that although at times we try to knock each other out on the football paddock, obviously we want to win, we do acknowledge the attributes of the person we're playing against. We hope that it doesn't become a personal fight."

"I'd like to say, that Mr Windsor was no doubt one of the great political operators of this parliament."