Today the Liberal National Party of Queensland was formed by a merger of the Queensland divisions of the Liberal and National parties. It was approved by the Liberal State Council today on Saturday the 26th July 2008. The newly merged Party will be a Division of the Liberal Party of Australia, affiliated with the National Party of Australia and have a new constitution.

For further information:
http://www.liberalnationalparty.com

Dear Samuel,

Does that mean that the Liberals will be losing
supporter votes in the next Federal election?

And, will the National Party disappear as in the
case of other mergers where one name disappeared
and the dominant name remained?

Example, Bank mergers...

Whoopie doo!!

You might be wrong on this one, Ludwig. Queensland has been sadly lacking a viable Opposition to the ALP government for too long.

It's not very healthy when a government can pretty well just do as it likes. Not only has the ALP government in Queensland not had an effective Opposition in a decade or so, but the Parliament has no Upper House - so they've pretty much had open slather.

While I want Anna Bligh to be re-elected in her own right, it'd be good to see the 'Pineapple Party' give Labor a run for their money.

“It's not very healthy when a government can pretty well just do as it likes”

Right CJ. And it is not very healthy when the opposition basically agrees with the government, which allows the government to do what it likes.

I mean, what opposition is the LNP likely to provide?

Will they oppose the absurdly rapid rate of population growth into Queensland, in the face of chronic water problems, traffic congestions, overloaded hospitals and a hundred other shortfalls of infrastructure and services?

Will they oppose never-ending economic growth and human expansionism?

What about the planned massive expansion of coal mining, which flies totally in the face of planned reductions in greenhouse gas emissions?

What about the implementation of initiatives to urgently direct Queensland onto a sustainable basis?

Or a much greater translation of the immense wealth being generated from the export of primary resources into improvements in quality of life for all Queenslanders?

Come-on, the LNP ain’t gunna do any of this stuff significantly better than the incumbents. In fact, they’ll show opposition on small piffly side issues while effectively supporting the government on the big issues. And if they do happen to win power, they’ll just continue with the same old dinosaur ideology.

So um, I repeat; whoopie doooo!

Ditto on what Ludwig said. Spot on

Ludwig: << Come-on, the LNP ain’t gunna do any of this stuff significantly better than the incumbents. In fact, they’ll show opposition on small piffly side issues while effectively supporting the government on the big issues. And if they do happen to win power, they’ll just continue with the same old dinosaur ideology. >>

Of course you're right, Ludwig.

However, imagine this scenario: at the next Qld election the ALP wins, but the revitalised Tory coalition wins significantly more seats than they currently hold and the Greens win one or two in their own right. In order to pass legislation, the new Bligh government has to have the support of the Greens or the Tories. In this scenario, the Tories are likely to behave the way that Nelson's lot are in the Federal parliament - i.e. they won't be able to bring themselves to support the ALP. Hence, an effective Opposition and some minor party representation could well influence the kinds of legislation that gets passed.

Unlikely, I know - but stranger things have happened. I live in hope :)

CJ, I can’t see that any configuration of parliamentary seats would make a significant difference if the ‘Tories’ essentially support the government.

They might oppose things initially, and make loud noises of disagreement. But all that that will result in is a bit of tweaking around the edges. Sure, they might influence policy for the better in some instances, but not on the things that really matter. They won’t oppose the core continuous-growth directly antisustainability-oriented issues.

If they, along with the Greens had the numbers, it would no doubt make a bit of difference, but probably stuff-all, all-considered.

I live in hope that the LNP will see the futility of virtually being a mirror image of the incumbents.

Numerous times on this forum I have pushed for them (and for the federal opposition) to see the light, feel the winds of change and become fundamentally sustainability-oriented, with a cap to population as the most important policy.

They need to present themselves as a genuine alternative government…and goodness knows this state and country desperately needs it!

The grassroots support within the general community for this is I believe huge. It could be harnessed with the right sort of promotion, to the extent of providing a landslide win at the next election or the one after.

I mean, how on earth does the LNP think that they have a snowflakes chance of winning if they remain a mirror-image ‘pretend’ opposition force?

But noooo…our skies will fill up with flying pigs before they move away from total support for never-ending ever-more-rapid grossly antisustainable human expansionism!

Considering myself a somewhat cynical voter, I doubt if this merger between these two "giants of the dispensation of political manure" will greatly enhance the chances of Queenslanders getting any better deal,....as history has shown "the more things change,... the more they stay the same!" ....a long slow spiral downwards into the murky depths of power-broking, nepotism and anti-democracy!

The only way we will ever have elected people ( I will NOT use the word "politicians" in this case!) who may genuinely work for the good of the country and its people, is to do away with "Party" politics and the financially supported organizations to whom those elected party members must give their first loyalty,... over and above the interests of the people of the state!

No man should be forced to give support and loyalty to a list of core principles if he considers these very principles are contrary to his beliefs in obtaining a better outcome for the future of the country and its voters!

How many men of average means are prevented from becoming candidates in State and Federal Elections simply because the financial backing a available to "Party" candidates will obliterate any chance he may have in achieving success by his own electioneering, door-knocking, letter-dropping, etc!

Look at the parlous state Queensland is in now with a Labor government...Government for the people....I fear NOT!

There is unsufficient space to cover the ongoing "inadequacies" ( to use a nice terminology. But let us not forget "The Forced Amalgamations"..."The Traveston Dam"...."The Bundaberg Hospital/ Jayant Patel fiasco"... to name just a few of the events that if scrutinized carefully would probably expose at least one "disaster" for each year that Labor has been in government in Queensland!

What then does the new LNP offer the people of Queensland at this time?.....Not much unless a complete change of policies and attitudes is forthcoming!

I wish to nominate my Blue Dog for the next Premier of Queensland!....he has more loyalty, does not bite the hand that feeds him, has no fleas, and what you see is what you get!

it's obvious that Annie hasn't got any control over her crowd. if she did why doesn't she stamp out incompetence instead of fostering it even more. then there's corruption. does anyone have any evidence that she's doing anything other than foster that too? just look at the council amalgamations. what a money-wasting farce that is.
If we can't get rid of corruption then I'd rather have a corrupt competent government than a corrupt incompetent one. I'm not religious but I pray that this incompetent idealist academic outfit gets ousted by the conservatives next election

Cuphandle, it really depends on voters. All this is squarely on those who keep giving the major parties oxygen they do not deserve.....and also ideologies that really share a lot more in common (in structure, policies and administration) than that which differentiates them.

I think that within maybe 3-10 years time these 2 parties will again be separate.

In the latest poll the Libnats have slipped even further behind Labor than they were before the merger.

Of course the primary criticism is that they have a new identity, but the same old policies. They desperately need new policies, in fact a whole new political direction, so that they will be seen as a genuine alternative government instead of a silly weaker imitation of the incumbents.

I’ve suggested what their new policy direction should be in my earlier posts on this thread.

Ludwig:
I am with you 100% on this issue! Unfortunately a Politician, is a Politician, is a Politician!....and alas I fear that we will both be dissapointed because I doubt if there are enough balls and backbone amongst the lot of them to ever initiate any sort of worthwhile change to the current system!

Compare the parlous state that this country is degenerating to against the standard and quality of life in general "way back" in the 50`s! Today we see the total achievement of the same old "now it`s my turn, and then it`s your turn next time!" attitude of a group of mentally challenged puppets who will never have the intestinal fortitude to oppose the wishes and the directions of their "Fat cat" masters!

The demise of Brendan Nelson is already underway and one doesn`t need to have particularly good ears to hear the sound of knives being sharpened behind the pillars of power! What sort of people are these who cannot even show loyalty to each other, let alone to the poor misguided people who look to them for providence?

Unless their is a miracle takes place before the next election, I for one will NOT be voting for either of these self -indulgent groups of two-faced charlatans,....the representative swill they call Labor and LNP ....( and in the case of the latter, if they can even get together long to agree upon a federal amalgamation between NP and Liberal!)

The silly Libs want to install Costello as their leader. Oh dear. Talk about a mob a hopeless drongos! The LAST thing they need is someone who agrees fully with the worst policies of the KRudd government – very high immigration, an increased birthrate and never-ending very rapid expansionism…and just about all other policies of any significance!!

Costello never challenged Howard because he never had the numbers or community support. Howard wasn’t well liked, but Costello was considerably less well liked.

If the Libs pick him for their leader, they’re doomed!

Turnbull is no good either. They should let Nelson remain leader.

Its their bloomin policies and overall political direction that counts, not their leader, for goodness sake!! !!

Wow this stuff is sooo frustrating. This country sooo desperately needs an alternative political strategy…and the federal Libs, the Qld Libnats and indeed the Libs in every other state desperately need to represent a realistic and significantly different choice for voters if they are going to get anywhere. But do you think they’ll embrace this different strategy? Apparently not in a fit.

Cuphandle, like you I certainly won’t be voting for either party at the next state and federal elections unless there is a radical policy shift. I don’t believe in voting for the ever-so-slightly lesser of two evils. I’ll be doing what I’ve done for several elections; vote for on one, because there is no one who deserves my vote!