In my view, the National part sealed their own demise when they formed a rigid coalition with the Liberal party. There is no point having a separate party if the two are always going to vote the same way and not compete against each other. You effectively have a single aprty - the coalition - and as the majority partner the Liberals will always run the show. You would never catch the Greens agreeing not to compete against Labor.

Push to merge Qld Libs, Nats re-emerge

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Push-to-merge-Qld-Libs-Nats-reemerge/2007/11/27/1196036865517.html

The push to amalgamate the Queensland Liberal and National parties is back on the agenda with the demise of the federal coalition government.

Former Queensland opposition leader Lawrence Springborg said on Tuesday there were problems with the "Liberal brand" and a merger with the Nationals should be reconsidered.

Mr Springborg was one of the main backers of last year's ill-fated merger proposal, which was torpedoed by now deposed prime minister John Howard and outgoing federal Nationals leader Mark Vaile.

Mr Springborg, who is still a sitting state Nationals MP, said the coalition's federal election loss showed the need for one conservative party in Queensland.

The Queensland Nationals remained committed to it, he said, but it was up to the Liberals to come back to discussions.

"I just hope that this near-death experience is going to see their commitment (to a merger) - genuine, forthright and long-term commitment," Mr Springborg said.

"This idea is a great idea - no one argues against it other than the politically self-interested, and there are only a few of them."

Important the Nationals continue - Joyce

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Important-the-Nationals-continue--Joyce/2007/11/27/1196036846683.html

Outspoken Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce says the party remains a vital part of conservative politics in Australia, despite winning just 10 seats in Saturday's election.

That's the party's lowest ever representation in the House of Representatives.

"It is extremely important for the conservative side of politics that the National party is there," Senator Joyce told ABC Radio.

"It is extremely important to have that safety valve in conservative politics to sometimes mitigate and placate some of the ideas that come from the Liberal party."

He said the National party also served as "a lightning rod for those who don't have the immense lobbying power that sometimes concentrates on the major parties".

"Small business definitely relies on the National party in a big way."

The Nationals' leadership is now vacant after incumbent Mark Vaile announced on Monday he would step down after the coalition's devastating election loss.

Queensland Liberals seek new leader

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Queensland-Liberals-seek-new-leader/2007/11/27/1196036868097.html

Queensland Liberal leader Bruce Flegg has moved forward a party room meeting to discuss the leadership to 5pm (AEST) today.

It followed a move by Clayfield MP Tim Nicholls this afternoon to challenge Dr Flegg for the leadership.

Mr Nicholls on Tuesday said it was not an action he and Mr Langbroek took lightly but it had become apparent that ongoing speculation about the existing leadership was damaging the party's standing and its ability to properly serve Queenslanders.

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Qld Libs say merger with Nats inevitable

http://news.smh.com.au/qld-libs-say-merger-with-nats-inevitable/20071215-1has.html

The Queensland Liberals said a merger with their coalition partner, the Nationals, was inevitable, but it would have to go ahead at the federal level.

Liberals state president Warwick Parer said preliminary discussions about a merger had begun and confirmed he had raised the idea with new federal Liberal leader Brendan Nelson.

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Qld Libs, Nats committed to merger talks

http://news.smh.com.au/qld-libs-nats-committed-to-merger-talks/20080111-1lg9.html

Queensland's conservative parties say they are committed to resolving the issue of a merger.

Merger talks between the Liberals and Nationals were revived after the parties' poor performance in the November federal election.

The Queensland National party has posted a survey on its website asking Queenslanders if they want a single conservative force in the state.

If respondents choose yes, they are then asked whether it should be a merger with the Liberals or a new party altogether.

I am reminded about the advice given to virgin Parliamentarians............

"Remember, those in front of you are your opponents.....but those behind you are your enemies."

If this country really does need a single conservative party, why don't the libs and nats simply fight it out at the polls? It would inject some energy back into both parties. Agreeing not to compete against each other was a recipe for disaster. It jsut made both parties lazier. They are trying to tell Australians that they cannot comprehend more than two choices and don't need more than two choices, when in fact the very existence of two different parties was proof that conservative voters are not a common block who all think the same way. If they try even harder to deny voters that choice, then another third party will simply rise up and replace the old one.

All through the 70s and 80s the Nationals (or their equivalent) fought tooth and nail against the removal of protectionism and other trade barriers, even though our farmers did not want to be a parasite on the back of Australian society and in any case they knew that at the time other industries were getting far more subsidies. The problem is that the Nationals need to listen to the people they represent rather than assuming they are all redneck yobs who only care about themselves and just want more money from the government. Unless they compete against the liberals, they will never have to face this reality.

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from crikey:

Within the Queensland Liberal Party, the rump of State Parliamentary members is so small that their views are secondary to the controllers of the party itself. While the Liberal state council in Queensland will meet on Sunday to consider any proposals put forward by the Nationals, and also a recommendation from state leader Mark McArdle that an eminent persons group be established to consider a merger, individual members of the Party realise that in a merger they might keep the Liberal Party name but lose everything else. The Nationals would bring over a membership of 12,000 that would swamp the 4,000 who currently pay their Liberal dues.

Many voters in an increasingly cosmopolitan Brisbane would surely react with horror at the prospect of voting for a party dominated by country red necks. Federal Liberal MPs would start worrying not only about their election under these circumstances but about their pre-selection as well. That self interest puts them in the same anti-amalgamation camp as their Federal National Party colleagues.

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Merger talks begin at Libs conference

http://news.smh.com.au/merger-talks-begin-at-libs-conference/20080203-1pst.html

The Queensland Liberal Party has commenced a meeting on the Gold Coast where it will discuss the merits of a merger with the Nationals.

"The one party stuff is up for discussion," deputy state director Peter Epstein confirmed to AAP on the way into the meeting.

"But they may decide to leave it up to the federal executives or they may decide to do something else."

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Qld Libs put merger talks on backburner

http://news.smh.com.au/qld-libs-put-merger-talks-on-backburner/20080203-1pst.html

The Queensland Liberals have snubbed merger talks with the Nationals in favour of chasing votes at the local level.

State Liberal Party president Warwick Parer rejected any immediate talks on forming a coalition, saying they would be delayed until after the local government elections next month.

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One-party proposal alive: Springborg

http://news.smh.com.au/oneparty-proposal-alive-springborg/20080205-1q7t.html

Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg says his plan to create a united conservative party in the state is still alive, despite the Liberals delaying merger talks.

"In reality, they've kept it alive," Mr Springborg said.

"It would have been better if it hadn't been (delayed).

"But the reality is they ultimately have to confront the decision soon and their parliamentary leader remains personally committed to this."

Liberal Leader Mark McArdle two weeks ago reached an in-principle agreement with Mr Springborg to back a full merger of the parties.

"If the commitment in any way varies, or if we feel like we have been in any way not treated openly in this, then I would be very, very annoyed," he said.

But he said he had not considered alternative plans if the Liberals rejected his one-party proposal, such as making the Nationals a stand-alone force.

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Liberals to discuss merger proposal

http://news.smh.com.au/liberals-to-discuss-merger-proposal/20080206-1qgs.html

Federal Liberal MPs will on Wednesday discuss a possible merger with their coalition partner, The Nationals.

But Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson says there are more important issues for his colleagues to discuss.

Late last month, Liberal senator Nick Minchin told the Young Liberal Movement National Convention in Perth the parties had to merge to remain a competitive adversary to the ALP's federal and state dominance.

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Qld Nats back conservative party merger

http://news.smh.com.au/qld-nats-back-conservative-party-merger/20080208-1r39.html

The Queensland Nationals' executive has voted unanimously to push ahead with forming a new conservative party in the state.

Considering the incumbent governments are so crooked it is amazing that the Nats and Libs can't make any headway in the States.  Just today former Liebor Minister Pat Purcell revealed he lied when he said he did not assault a couple of public servants.  So the headlines in today's Courier Mail said it all "Liar and Thug"



Quote:


"Comments made by me in the media shortly after the incident, if construed as a suggestion that I did not strike the men, were incorrect."?

How could they be 'construed' any other way Pat?  You lied dude - you said you had not belted them.  But in the Liebor Party you are well represented.

ok