View source for National Party of Australia

{{Short description|Australian political party}}
{{redirect|Australian Country Party}}{{Redirect|The Nats|other uses|Nats (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = National Party of Australia
| native_name      = 
| logo             = The National Party of Australia Logo.svg
| logo_size        = 225
| colorcode        = {{party color|National Party of Australia}}
| abbreviation     = NP<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/party-codes.htm |title = Political party name abbreviations & codes, demographic ratings and seat status |publisher=[[Australian Electoral Commission]] |date = 18 January 2016 }}</ref><br />NAT
| leader1_title    = [[#Leadership|Leader]]
| leader1_name     = [[David Littleproud]]
| leader2_title    = [[#Leadership|Deputy Leader]]
| leader2_name     = [[Kevin Hogan (politician)|Kevin Hogan]]
| leader3_title    = Senate Leader
| leader3_name     = [[Bridget McKenzie]]
| leader4_title    = Deputy Senate Leader
| leader4_name     = [[Susan McDonald]]
| leader5_title    = President
| leader5_name     = [[Kay Hull]]
| founder          = {{plainlist|
* [[William McWilliams]]
* [[Earle Page]]
* ''...{{nbsp}}and [[#History|others]]''
}}
| founded          = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1920|01|22|br=y}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Key Dates in the Party's Development |work=The Nationals |url=https://nationals.org.au/about/our-history/key-dates-and-events/ }}</ref>
| headquarters     = [[John McEwen House]], [[Barton, Australian Capital Territory|Barton]], [[Australian Capital Territory]]
| think_tank       = [https://www.page.org.au/ Page Research Centre]
| youth_wing       = [[Young Nationals (Australia)|Young Nationals]]
| womens_wing      = [https://nationals.org.au/about/our-structure/the-nationals-women/ Nationals Women]
| ideology         = <!-- Don't change the phrases 'conservatism', and 'agrarianism' without Talk.-->
{{ublist|class = nowrap
| [[Agrarianism]]{{refn|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/n4149/pdf/ch14.pdf |title=The National Party of Australia's Campaign: Further 'Back from the Brink' |last1=Cockfield |first1=Geoff |last2=Curtin |first2=Jennifer |author-link2=Jennifer Curtin |date=2016 |website=press-files.anu.edu.au |publisher=[[Australia National University]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p21821/mobile/index.html |title=Tracking Rural Change: Community, Policy and Technology in Australia, New Zealand and Europe |last1=Merlan |first1=Francesca |last2=Raftery |first2=David |date=2009 |publisher=[[ANU Press]] |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor-last1=Gauja |editor-first1=Anika |editor-last2=Chen |editor-first2=Peter |editor-last3=Curtin |editor-first3=Jennifer |editor-link3=Jennifer Curtin |editor-last4=Pietsch |editor-first4=Juliet |date=2018 |title=Double Disillusion: The 2016 Australian Federal Election |url=https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/double-disillusion |publisher=[[ANU Press]] |pages=687–688 |isbn=978-1-76046-186-7 |doi=10.22459/DD.04.2018 |hdl=10072/415462 |doi-access=free }}</ref>}}
| [[Conservatism]] ([[Conservatism in Australia|Australian]]) 
}}
| position         = [[Centre-right]]{{refn|<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Canales |first1=Sarah Basford |last2=Dhanji |first2=Krishani |date=2025-05-20 |title=Liberals and Nationals call it quits: what does the 'monumental' Coalition split mean for day-to-day politics? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/20/liberal-party-and-nationals-split-how-divided-coalition-will-work |access-date=2025-10-01 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Switzer|first=Tom |date=2025-05-21 |title=Reports of the Coalition's death are greatly exaggerated |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/why-libs-and-nats-will-get-the-coalition-band-back-together-20250521-p5m0zo |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}</ref>}} to {{nowrap|[[Right-wing politics|right-wing]]{{refn|<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Colvin |first1=R. M. |last2=Jotzo |first2=Frank |date=2021-03-24 |editor-last=Ali |editor-first=Ghaffar |title=Australian voters' attitudes to climate action and their social-political determinants |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=16 |issue=3 |article-number=e0248268 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0248268 |doi-access=free |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=7990191 |pmid=33760842 |bibcode=2021PLoSO..1648268C }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-28 |title=Generation Left: young voters are deserting the right |url=https://www.cis.org.au/publication/generation-left-young-voters-are-deserting-the-right/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=The Centre for Independent Studies |language=en-US}}</ref>}}}}
| national         = [[Liberal–National Coalition]]{{efn|1949–1972, 1974–1987, 1987–2025, 2025–present}}
| membership_year  = 2021
| membership       = {{decrease}} 9,631 (estimate)<ref>{{cite news |last=Hardaker |first=David |date=30 July 2021 |title=National party membership tumbles in NSW, Greens now have more |url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2021/07/30/national-party-nsw-membership-numbers/ |url-status=live |work=[[Crikey]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730074429/https://www.crikey.com.au/2021/07/30/national-party-nsw-membership-numbers/ |archive-date=30 July 2021 }}</ref>
| colours          = {{plainlist|
* {{colorbox|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=darkgray}} [[Green]]
* {{Color box|#fef032|border=darkgray}} [[Yellow]]
}}
| blank1_title     = [[Governing body]]
| blank1           = [https://nationals.org.au/about/our-constitution/ Federal Council]
| blank2_title     = Party branches
| blank2           = {{hlist||[[New South Wales National Party|NSW]]| [[Country Liberal Party|NT]]{{efn|The [[Country Liberal Party]] was formed as a merger of the 
Northern Territory branches of the Country Party (today the National Party) and the Liberal Party. It mainly functions at the territory-level.}}|[[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Qld]]{{Efn|The Liberal National Party of Queensland was formed as a merger of the Queensland branch of the Liberal Party and the National Party. It mainly functions at the state-level.}} |[[National Party of Australia (SA)|SA]]|[[National Party of Australia – Tasmania|Tas]]|[[National Party of Australia – Victoria|Vic]]|[[National Party of Australia (WA)|WA]]}}
| seats1_title     = [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
| seats1           = {{Composition bar|15|150|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}{{efn|name=sixMP|group=Note|Including the six [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Liberal National]] [[Australian House of Representatives|MPs]] who sit in the National [[Parliamentary group|party room]].}}
| seats2_title     = [[Australian Senate|Senate]]
| seats2           = {{Composition bar|4|76|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}{{efn|group=Note|Including the two [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Liberal National]] [[Australian Senate|Senators]]  who sit in the National party room.}}
| website          = {{url|https://nationals.org.au/}}
| country          = Australia
}}
{{Conservatism in Australia}}
The '''National Party of Australia''', commonly known as the '''Nationals''' or simply the '''Nats''', is a [[right-wing]] and [[Agrarianism|agrarian]] [[List of political parties in Australia|political party in Australia]]. Traditionally representing graziers, farmers, and [[List of regions of Australia|rural]] voters generally, it began as the '''Australian Country Party''' in 1920 at a [[Government of Australia|federal level]]. 
In 1975, it adopted the name '''National Country Party''', before taking its current name in 1982.

Ensuring support for farmers, either through government grants and subsidies or through community appeals, is a major focus of National Party policy. The process for obtaining these funds has come into question in recent years, such as during the [[Sports rorts affair (2020)|Sports Rorts Affair]]. According to [[Ian McAllister (political scientist)|Ian McAllister]], the Nationals are the only remaining party from the "wave of agrarian socialist parties set up around the Western world in the 1920s".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Manning |first1=Paddy |title=Inside the Nationals |url=https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2020/april/1585659600/paddy-manning/inside-nationals |access-date=18 August 2020 |work=The Monthly |date=1 April 2020}}</ref>

Federally, the Nationals are the junior party in a [[centre-right]] grouping known in Australian politics as the [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]], accompanied by the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]], which is predominantly an urban-based party. When in government the National Party leader has usually served as [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia|Deputy Prime Minister]]. The coalition has occasionally been dissolved on various occasions following electoral defeats, though the splits have not been permanent. The coalition arrangement varies in each state and territory. 

Due to the closeness and integration of the two parties, as well as the declining vote of the Nationals in recent years, it has been proposed several times that [[Liberal–National party merger|the Liberals and the Nationals formally merge]]. In Queensland, for instance, the Country Party (later National Party) was the senior coalition party between 1925 and 2008, after which it merged with the junior Liberal Party to form the [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]].

The current leader of the National Party is [[David Littleproud]], who represents the Queensland electorate of [[Division of Maranoa|Maranoa]]. He replaced [[Barnaby Joyce]] following a [[2022 National Party of Australia leadership spill|leadership spill in May 2022]], after the Coalition's defeat in the [[2022 Australian federal election|2022 federal election]]. The party's deputy leader since [[2025 National Party of Australia leadership spill|May 2025]] is [[Kevin Hogan (politician)|Kevin Hogan]], who represents the electorate of [[Division of Page|Page]] in New South Wales.

==History==
[[File:WMcWilliams.JPG|thumb|100px|[[William McWilliams]], Country Party leader 1920–1921]]
[[File:Earle Page.jpg|right|thumb|100px|Sir [[Earle Page]], [[Prime Minister of Australia]] 1939]]
[[File:FaddenPEO.jpg|thumb|100px|Sir [[Arthur Fadden]], [[Prime Minister of Australia]] 1941]] 
[[File:Sir_John_McEwen.jpg|right|thumb|100px|Sir [[John McEwen]], [[Prime Minister of Australia]] 1967–68]]

The Country Party was formally founded in 1913 in Western Australia, and nationally in 1920, from a number of state-based parties such as the [[Victorian Farmers' Union]] (VFU) and the [[Farmers' and Settlers' Association of New South Wales]].<ref name="Aitkin, 1972; Graham, 1959">Aitkin, (1972); Graham, (1959)</ref> Australia's first Country Party was founded in 1912 by [[Harry J. Stephens]], editor of ''[[The Farmer & Settler]]'', but, under fierce opposition from rival newspapers,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127694704 |title=That Alleged Country Party |newspaper=[[The Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser]] |location=NSW |date=4 July 1913 |access-date=16 April 2015 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> failed to gain momentum.

The VFU won a seat in the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] at the [[1918 Corangamite by-election|Corangamite by-election]] held in December 1918, with the help of the newly introduced [[Instant-runoff voting|preferential voting]] system.<ref name=flinders>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65119991 |title=CORANGAMITE. |newspaper=The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times |location=Tas. |date=21 December 1918 |access-date=12 November 2013 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> At the [[1919 Australian federal election|1919 federal election]] the state-based Country Parties won federal seats in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. They also began to win seats in state parliaments. In 1920 the Country Party was established as a national party led by [[William McWilliams]] from Tasmania. In his first speech as leader, McWilliams laid out the principles of the new party, stating "we crave no alliance, we spurn no support but we intend drastic action to secure closer attention to the needs of primary producers"<ref name=autogenerated1>Neilson, W. (1986) 'McWilliams, William James (1856–1929)', ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', Volume 10, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne.</ref> McWilliams was deposed as party leader in favour of [[Earle Page]] in April 1921, following instances where McWilliams voted against the party line. McWilliams later left the Country Party to sit as an Independent.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

According to historian B. D. Graham (1959), the graziers who operated the sheep stations were politically conservative. They disliked the Labor Party, which represented their workers, and feared that Labor governments would pass unfavorable legislation and listen to foreigners and communists. The graziers were satisfied with the marketing organisation of their industry, opposed any change in land tenure and labour relations, and advocated lower tariffs, low freight rates, and low taxes. On the other hand, Graham reports, the small farmers, not the graziers, founded the Country party. The farmers advocated government intervention in the market through price support schemes and marketing pools. The graziers often politically and financially supported the Country party, which in turn made the Country party more conservative.<ref>B.D. Graham, "Graziers in Politics, 1917 To 1929", ''Historical Studies: Australia and New Zealand'', 1959, Vol. 8 Issue 32, pp 383–391</ref>

The Country Party's first election as a united party, in [[1922 Australian federal election|1922]], saw it in an unexpected position of power. It won enough seats to deny the Nationalists an overall majority. It soon became apparent that the price for Country support would be a full-fledged coalition with the Nationalists. However, Page let it be known that his party would not serve under Hughes, and forced his resignation. Page then entered negotiations with the Nationalists' new leader, [[Stanley Bruce]], for a coalition government. Page wanted five seats for his Country Party in a cabinet of 11, including the [[Treasurer of Australia|Treasurer]] portfolio and the second rank in the ministry for himself. These terms were unusually stiff for a prospective junior coalition partner in a Westminster system, and especially so for such a new party. With no other politically realistic coalition partner available, Bruce agreed, and the "[[First Bruce ministry|Bruce-Page Ministry]]" was formed. This began the tradition of the Country Party leader ranking second in Coalition cabinets.<ref name="Aitkin, 1972; Graham, 1959"/> The party has never had a coalition government with Labor {{as of|2025|lc=y}}.

Page remained dominant in the party until 1939, and briefly served as caretaker prime minister between the death of [[Joseph Lyons]] and the election of [[Robert Menzies]] as his successor. However, Page gave up the leadership rather than serve under Menzies. The coalition was re-formed under [[Archie Cameron]] in 1940, and continued until October 1941 despite the election of [[Arthur Fadden]] as leader after the [[1940 Australian federal election|1940 election]]. Fadden was well regarded within conservative circles and proved to be a loyal deputy to Menzies in the difficult circumstances of 1941. When Menzies was forced to resign as prime minister, the UAP was so bereft of leadership that Fadden briefly succeeded him (despite the Country Party being the junior partner in the governing coalition). However, the two independents who had been propping up the government rejected Fadden's budget and brought the government down.<ref name="Davey 2006">Davey (2006)</ref> Fadden stood down in favour of Labor leader [[John Curtin]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Arthur Fadden: Treasurer in a golden age {{!}} Treasury.gov.au |url=https://treasury.gov.au/publication/economic-roundup-issue-4-2011/economic-roundup-issue-4-2011/arthur-fadden-treasurer-in-a-golden-age |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=treasury.gov.au}}</ref>

The Fadden-led Coalition made almost no headway against Curtin, and was severely defeated in the [[1943 Australian federal election|1943 election]]. After that loss, Fadden became deputy leader of the opposition under Menzies, a role that continued after Menzies folded the UAP into the [[Liberal Party of Australia]] in 1944.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arthur Fadden: after office |url=https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/australias-prime-ministers/arthur-fadden/after-office |website=National Archives of Australia}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Fadden remained a loyal partner of Menzies, though he was still keen to assert the independence of his party. Indeed, in the lead up to the [[1949 Australian federal election|1949 federal election]], Fadden played a key role in the defeat of the Chifley Labor government, frequently making inflammatory claims about the "socialist" nature of the Labor Party, which Menzies could then "clarify" or repudiate as he saw fit, thus appearing more "moderate". In 1949, Fadden became Treasurer in the [[Second Menzies ministry|second Menzies government]] and remained so until his retirement in 1958. His successful partnership with Menzies was one of the elements that sustained the coalition, which remained in office until [[1972 Australian federal election|1972]] (Menzies himself retired in 1966).<ref name="Davey 2006"/>
[[File:John_McEwen_Swearing_In.jpg|thumb|[[John McEwen]] being sworn in as Prime Minister on 19 December 1967.]]
Fadden's successor, [[Minister for Trade (Australia)|Trade Minister]] [[John McEwen]], took the then unusual step of declining to serve as treasurer, believing he could better ensure that the interests of Australian primary producers were safeguarded. Accordingly, McEwen personally supervised the signing of the first post-war trade treaty with Japan, new trade agreements with New Zealand and Britain, and Australia's first trade agreement with the USSR (1965). In addition to this, he insisted on developing an all-encompassing system of tariff protection that would encourage the development of those secondary industries that would "value add" Australia's primary produce. His success in this endeavour is sometimes dubbed "McEwenism". This was the period of the Country Party's greatest power, as was demonstrated in 1962 when McEwen was able to insist that Menzies sack a Liberal minister who claimed that Britain's entry into the [[European Economic Community]] was unlikely to severely impact the Australian economy as a whole.<ref>Davey (2005)</ref>

[[File:Gorton Reshuffle February 1971 (1).jpg|thumb|right|Prime Minister [[John Gorton]] and new Deputy Prime Minister [[Doug Anthony]] at the swearing-in of new Country Party ministers to the [[Second Gorton Ministry]] on 5 February 1971 following the retirement of McEwen.]]
Menzies retired in [[1966 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election|1966]] and was succeeded by [[Harold Holt]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Museum of Australia - Robert Menzies |url=https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/features/prime-ministers/robert-menzies |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=www.nma.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> McEwen thus became the longest-tenured member of the government, with the informal right to veto government policy. The most significant instance in which McEwen exercised this right came when Holt disappeared in December 1967.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harold Holt: after office |url=https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/australias-prime-ministers/harold-holt/after-office |website=National Archives of Australia}}</ref> [[John Gorton]] became the new Liberal prime minister in [[1968 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election|January 1968]]. McEwen was sworn in as interim prime minister pending the election of the new Liberal leader. Logically, the Liberals' deputy leader, [[William McMahon]], should have succeeded Holt. However, McMahon was a staunch free-trader, and there were also rumours that he was homosexual. As a result, McEwen told the Liberals that he and his party would not serve under McMahon. McMahon stood down in favour of [[John Gorton]]. It was only after McEwen announced his retirement that McMahon was able to successfully challenge Gorton for the Liberal leadership. McEwen's reputation for political toughness led to him being nicknamed "Black Jack" by his allies and enemies alike.<ref>J. M. Barbalet, "Tri-Partism in Australia: The Role of the Australian Country Party", ''Politics'' (00323268), 1975, Vol. 10 Issue 1, pp. 1–11</ref>

At the state level, from [[1957 Queensland state election|1957]] to [[1989 Queensland state election|1989]], the Country Party under [[Frank Nicklin]] and [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]] dominated governments in [[Queensland]]—for the last six of those years ruling in its own right, without the Liberals. This was due to the [[bjelkemander]], a [[malapportionment]] in electorates which gave rural voters twice the voting power compared to voters within the city.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Orr|first1=Graham D.|last2=Levy|first2=Ron|title=Electoral Malapportionment: Partisanship, Rhetoric and Reform in the Shadow of the Agrarian Strong-Man|journal=[[Griffith Law Review]]|year=2009|volume=18|issue=3|pages=638–665|doi=10.1080/10854659.2009.10854659|ssrn=1579826|s2cid=145695031}}</ref> It also took part in governments in New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia.<ref>Joseph Bindloss, ''Queensland'' (2002) p. 24</ref>

However, successive electoral redistributions after 1964 indicated that the Country Party was losing ground electorally to the Liberals as the rural population declined, and the nature of some parliamentary seats on the urban and rural fringe changed. A proposed merger with the [[Democratic Labor Party (Australia, 1955)|Democratic Labor Party]] (DLP) under the banner of [[National Alliance (Australia)|"National Alliance"]] was rejected when it failed to find favour with voters at the [[1974 Western Australian state election|1974 state election]].{{cn|date=September 2025}}

Also in 1974, the [[Northern Territory]] members of the party joined with its Liberal party members to form the independent [[Country Liberal Party]]. This party continues to represent both parent parties in that territory. [[Northern Territory Nationals|A separate party]], the Joh-inspired NT Nationals, competed in the [[1987 Northern Territory general election|1987 election]] with former chief minister [[Ian Tuxworth]] retaining his seat of [[Electoral division of Barkly|Barkly]] by a small margin. However, this splinter group was not endorsed by the national executive and soon disappeared from the political scene.<ref>Jeremy Moon and Campbell Sharman, ''Australian politics and government'' (2003) p. 228</ref>

=== National Country Party and National Party ===
The National Party was confronted by the impact of demographic shifts from the 1970s: between 1971 and 1996, the population of Sydney and surrounds grew by 34%, with even larger growth in coastal New South Wales, while more remote rural areas grew by a mere 13%, further diminishing the National Party's base.<ref name=green /> At the federal convention held on 2 May 1975 in Canberra, the Country Party changed its name to the National Country Party of Australia as part of a strategy to expand into urban areas.<ref>{{cite book|last=Davey|first=Paul|date=2008|title=Politics in the Blood: The Anthonys of Richmond|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVd-DEqMMp4C&pg=PA170|location=Sydney|publisher=[[University of New South Wales|UNSW Press]]|pages=169–170|isbn=978-1-921410-23-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Davey|first=Paul|date=2006|title=The Nationals: The Progressive, Country, and National Party in New South Wales 1919–2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fpyw6Oncs5QC&pg=PA244|location=Sydney|publisher=Federation Press|page=244|isbn=978-1-86287-526-5}}</ref> This had some success in Queensland under [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]], but nowhere else. The party briefly walked out of the coalition agreement in Western Australia in May 1975, returning within the month. However, the party split in two over the decision and other factors in late 1978, with a new National Party forming and becoming independent, holding three seats in the Western Australian lower house, while the National Country Party remained in coalition and also held three seats. They reconciled after the [[Burke ministry (Western Australia)|Burke Labor government]] came to power in [[1983 Western Australian state election|1983]].{{cn|date=September 2025}}

The 1980s were dominated by the feud between Bjelke-Petersen and the federal party leadership under [[Ian Sinclair]]. Bjelke-Petersen briefly triumphed in 1987, forcing the Nationals to tear up the Coalition agreement and support his bid to become prime minister.  The "[[Joh for Canberra]]" campaign backfired spectacularly when a large number of three-cornered contests allowed Labor to win a third term under [[Bob Hawke]]; however, in [[1987 Australian federal election|1987]] the National Party won a bump in votes and recorded its highest vote in more than four decades, but it also recorded a new low in the proportion of seats won.<ref>{{cite web |title=The National Party's Recent Decline |url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2006/articles/nationals_part1.htm |website=ABC News Online |publisher=ABC |access-date=18 December 2018}}</ref> The collapse of the Joh for Canberra campaign also proved to be the Queensland Nationals' last hurrah; Bjelke-Petersen was forced into retirement a few months after the federal election, and his party was heavily defeated in 1989. The federal National Party were badly defeated at the [[1990 Australian federal election|1990 election]], losing five seats including that of leader [[Charles Blunt]], who had ousted Sinclair months earlier.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/barnaby-joyce-a-rebel-without-a-pause-button-20180216-p4z0jh.html | title=Barnaby Joyce: a rebel without a pause button | work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | date=17 February 2018 | access-date=18 December 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807155604/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/barnaby-joyce-a-rebel-without-a-pause-button-20180216-p4z0jh.html | archive-date=7 August 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/1990/1990reps1.txt | title=Australian legislative election of 24 March 1990 | publisher=Psephos | access-date=18 December 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527181430/http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/1990/1990reps1.txt | archive-date=27 May 2016 }}</ref>

Blunt's successor as leader, [[Tim Fischer]], recovered two seats at the [[1993 Australian federal election|1993 election]], but lost an additional 1.2% of the vote from its 1990 result. In [[1996 Australian federal election|1996]], as the Coalition won a significant victory over [[Paul Keating]]'s Labor government, the National Party recovered another two seats, and Fischer became deputy prime minister under [[John Howard]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/1996/1996reps1.txt | title=Australian legislative election of 2 March 1996 | publisher=Psephos | access-date=18 December 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527183424/http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/1996/1996reps1.txt | archive-date=27 May 2016 }}</ref>

The Nationals experienced difficulties in the late 1990s from two fronts – firstly from the Liberal Party, who were winning seats on the basis that the Nationals were not seen to be a sufficiently separate party, and from the [[One Nation Party]] riding a swell of rural discontent with many of the policies such as [[multiculturalism]] and [[Gun politics in Australia|gun control]] embraced by all of the major parties. The rise of Labor in formerly safe National-held areas in rural Queensland, particularly on the coast, has been the biggest threat to the Queensland Nationals.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

At the [[1998 Australian federal election|1998 Federal election]], the National Party recorded only 5.3% of the vote in the House of Representatives, its lowest ever, and won only 16 seats, at 10.8% its second lowest proportion of seats.<ref name="green">{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Antony |title=Where to now for the Nationals? |url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2006/articles/nationalsfuture.htm |website=ABC News Online |publisher=ABC |access-date=18 December 2018}}</ref>

The National Party under Fischer and his successor, [[John Anderson (Australian politician)|John Anderson]], rarely engaged in public disagreements with the Liberal Party,{{or|date=September 2025}} which weakened the party's ability to present a separate image to rural and regional Australia. In 2001 the National Party recorded its second-worst result at 5.6% winning 13 seats, and its third lowest at 5.9% at the 2004 election, winning only 12 seats.<ref name="green" />

Australian [[psephologist]] [[Antony Green]] argues that two important trends have driven the National Party's decline at a federal level: "the importance of the rural sector to the health of the nation's economy" and "the growing chasm between the values and attitudes of rural and urban Australia". Green has suggested that the result has been that "Both have resulted in rural and regional voters demanding more of the National Party, at exactly the time when its political influence has declined. While the National Party has never been the sole representative of rural Australia, it is the only party that has attempted to paint itself as representing rural voters above all else".<ref name="green" />

In June 2005, party leader John Anderson announced that he would resign from the ministry and as leader of the Nationals due to a benign prostate condition, he was succeeded by [[Mark Vaile]]. At the following [[2007 Australian federal election|2007 election]], the Nationals vote declined further, with the party winning a mere 5.4% of the vote and securing only 10 seats.<ref name="parliament">{{cite web |last1=Stephen |first1=Barber |title=Federal election results 1901–2016 |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1617/FederalElectionResults |website=Parliament of Australia |access-date=18 December 2018}}</ref> Vaile announced his resignation as party leader which surprised his colleagues, as he had been expected to be re-elected unopposed following the election.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nationals-decide-it-is-a-matter-of-truss-20071204-gdrqov.html|title=Nationals decide it is a matter of Truss|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=4 December 2007|access-date=21 August 2022}}</ref> He had planned the party leadership to go to [[Peter McGauran]] but the latter declined to stand. [[Warren Truss]] and [[Nigel Scullion]] were then elected unopposed as leader and deputy leader.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

In 2010, under the leadership of Truss, the party received its lowest vote to date, at only 3.4%, however they secured a slight increase in seats from 10 to 12. At the following election in 2010 the national Party's fortunes improved slightly with a vote of 4.2% and an increase in seats from 12 to 15.<ref name="parliament" />

At the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 double dissolution election]], under the leadership of [[Barnaby Joyce]] the party secured 4.6% of the vote and 16 seats. In 2018, reports emerged that the National Party leader and deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce was expecting a child with his former communications staffer Vikki Campion. Joyce resigned after revelations that he had been engaged in an extramarital affair. Later in the same year it was revealed that the NSW National party and its youth wing, the [[Young Nationals (Australia)|Young Nationals]] had been infiltrated by neo-Nazis with more than 30 members being investigated for alleged links to [[neo-Nazism]]. Leader [[Michael McCormack (Australian politician)|Michael McCormack]] denounced the infiltration, and several suspected neo-Nazis were expelled from the party and its youth wing.<ref name="parliament" /><ref>*{{cite news|title=Joyce confirms marriage split|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/deputy-pm-barnaby-joyce-confirms-marriage-split/news-story/15795e78c4e4e4a2cc79da4db766be98/news-story/15795e78c4e4e4a2cc79da4db766be98|work=NewsComAu}}
*{{cite news |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/bundle-of-joyce-birth-of-a-national/news-story/3b48d9a378307a728e007d857ce5ee42 |title=Bundle of Joyce: Birth of a National |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|Daily Telegraph]] |date=6 February 2018 }}
*{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/barnaby-joyce-a-rebel-without-a-pause-button-20180215-p4z0jh.html|title=Barnaby Joyce: a rebel without a pause button|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=17 February 2018|access-date=17 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216121021/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/barnaby-joyce-a-rebel-without-a-pause-button-20180215-p4z0jh.html|archive-date=16 February 2018}}
*{{cite news|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/sex-ban-for-ministers-and-staff-following-joyce-s-shocking-error-of-judgment-turnbull|title=Sex ban for ministers and staff following Joyce's 'shocking error of judgment': Turnbull|work=[[SBS News]]|date=16 February 2018|access-date=17 February 2018}}
*{{cite news|title=Barnaby to face leadership challenge|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/nationals-mp-turns-against-barnaby-joyce/news-story/a57e40a194e0f8e188af5aeaacc4a60f|work=[[news.com.au]]}}
*{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-23/barnaby-joyce-resigns/9477616?section=politics |title=Barnaby Joyce resigns as Nationals leader, Deputy PM |work=[[ABC News (Australia)]] |date=23 February 2018 |access-date=23 February 2018 }}
*[https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nationals-members-foot-the-bill-for-barnaby-joyce-s-exceptional-byelection-salary-20180214-p4z0ar.html Nationals members foot the bill for Barnaby Joyce's 'exceptional' byelection salary]
*[https://www.sbs.com.au/news/barnaby-joyce-resigns-as-nationals-leader-deputy-prime-minister Barnaby Joyce resigns as Nationals leader, deputy prime minister]
*{{cite news|last1=Karp|first1=Paul|last2=Hutchens|first2=Gareth|title=Barnaby Joyce quits as Australia's deputy prime minister and Nationals leader|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/feb/23/barnaby-joyce-resigns-nationals-deputy-prime-minister-australia|work=the Guardian|date=23 February 2018|language=en}}
* Yaxley, Louise. "[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-07/barnaby-joyce-complaint-finalised/10214000 Nationals unable to make a finding in Barnaby Joyce sexual harassment case launched by Catherine Marriott]." "[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]], 7 September 2018</ref><ref>An abridged list of articles discussing neo-Nazi infiltration:
* {{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/02/barnaby-joyce-sceptical-of-neo-nazi-infiltration-of-nsw-nationals|title='These guys are crazy': Barnaby Joyce backs 'Nazi' expulsions after backtrack|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=4 November 2018}}
* {{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/31/nationals-clear-man-accused-of-leading-alleged-neo-nazi-branch-stacking|title=Nationals clear man accused of leading alleged neo-Nazi branch stacking|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=4 November 2018}}
* {{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/29/far-right-extremists-not-welcome-in-nationals-leader-says-amid-investigation|title=Far right extremists 'not welcome' in Nationals, leader says amid investigation|last1=Hutchins|first1=Gareth|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=4 November 2018}}
* {{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/15/nsw-young-nationals-expel-and-suspend-members-over-far-right-links|title=NSW Young Nationals expel and suspend members over far-right links|last1=Michael|first1=McGowen|newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=4 November 2018}}</ref>

At the [[2019 Australian federal election]], despite severe drought, perceived inaction over the plight of the [[Murray–Darling basin|Murray–Darling Basin]], a poor performance in the [[2019 New South Wales state election|New South Wales state election]] and sex scandals surrounding the member for Mallee, [[Andrew Broad]] and former party leader Barnaby Joyce, the National Party saw only a small decline in vote, down 0.10% to attain 4.51% of the primary vote.{{cn|date=September 2025}}<ref>{{cite web |title=First preferences by party |url=https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/HouseStateFirstPrefsByParty-24310-NAT.htm |website=Tally Room |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=8 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609014757/https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/HouseStateFirstPrefsByParty-24310-NAT.htm |archive-date=9 June 2019 }}</ref>

Following the [[2025 Australian federal election|2025 federal election]], the Nationals decided not to sign a new Coalition agreement with the Liberals. This resulted in the two parties operating separately for the first time since the 1980s, and thus reducing the Nationals to third party status in the [[Parliament of Australia|Australian Parliament]], sitting on the crossbench.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staszewska |first=Ewa |date=20 May 2021 |title=No Coalition: How the Liberals and Nationals came together,he and how they fell apart |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/no-coalition-liberals-nationals-how-they-came-together-how-they-fell-apart/a5fr9jqvn |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=SBS News}}</ref> The split lasted only eight days, following agreement on several policy areas that the Nationals had advocated, and a new [[Ley shadow ministry|shadow ministry]] was revealed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/28/liberals-and-nationals-reach-agreement-to-reunite-coalition-a-week-after-dramatic-split|title=Liberals and Nationals reach agreement to reunite Coalition a week after dramatic split|first1=Dan |last1=Jervis-Bardy |first2=Josh |last2=Butler|first3=Tom|last3=McIlroy|name-list-style=and|work=[[Guardian Australia|The Guardian]]|date=28 May 2025}}</ref>

== State and territory parties ==
The official state and territorial party organisations (or equivalents) of the National Party are:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationals.org.au/about/our-structure/nationals-parliamentary-party/|title=The Nationals Parliamentary Party|website=The Nationals|access-date=18 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191118031627/https://nationals.org.au/about/our-structure/nationals-parliamentary-party/|archive-date=18 November 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!colspan=2 rowspan=3 style="width:140px"|Party
!rowspan=3 style="width:140px"|Leader
!colspan=6| Last election
!rowspan=3| Status
!rowspan=10|
! colspan="2" |[[Parliament of Australia|Federal representatives]]
|-
!colspan=3|Lower House
!rowspan=9|
!colspan=2|Upper House
! rowspan="2" |[[Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 2022–2025|MPs]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Members of the Australian Senate, 2022–2025|Senators]]
|-
!Year
!Votes (%)
!Seats
!votes (%)
!Seats
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}};"|
|[[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Queensland]]{{efn|The [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]] (LNP) is the result of a merger of the [[Queensland Liberal Party]] and the [[Queensland National Party]] to contest elections as a single party.}}
|[[David Crisafulli]]
|[[2024 Queensland state election|2024]]
|align=right|41.5
|{{Composition bar|52|93|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}}}
|align=center colspan=2 {{N/A}}{{Efn|Queensland no longer has an upper house, it voted to dissolve its [[Queensland Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] in 1922}}
| style="background-color:#BBF3BB"|Majority
|{{Composition bar|5|30|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|{{Composition bar|2|12|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Country Liberal Party}};"|
| [[Country Liberal Party|Northern Territory]]{{efn|The [[Country Liberal Party]] is endorsed as the Northern Territory division of the National Party.}}
|[[Lia Finocchiaro]]
|[[2024 Northern Territory general election|2024]]
|align=right|48.9
|{{Composition bar|17|25|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Country Liberal Party}}}}
|align=center colspan=2 {{N/A}}{{Efn|The NT has a [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]] parliament}}
| style="background-color:#BBF3BB"| Majority
|{{Composition bar|0|2|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Country Liberal Party}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|2|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Country Liberal Party}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|National Party of Australia}};"|
|[[New South Wales National Party|New South Wales]]
|[[Dugald Saunders]]
|[[2023 New South Wales state election|2023]]
|align=right|8.6
|{{Composition bar|11|93|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|29.8{{efn|Liberal/National joint ticket total shown}}
|{{Composition bar|5|42|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| style="background:#FFCCCC;"|[[Liberal–National Coalition]] opposition
|{{Composition bar|6|47|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|{{Composition bar|1|12|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|National Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Victorian National Party|Victoria]]
|[[Danny O'Brien (politician)|Danny O'Brien]]
|[[2022 Victorian state election|2022]]
|align=right|4.7
|{{Composition bar|9|88|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|29.4{{efn|Liberal/National joint ticket total shown}}
|{{Composition bar|3|40|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| style="background-color:#FFCCCC" |[[Liberal–National Coalition]] opposition
|{{Composition bar|3|39|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|{{Composition bar|1|12|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|National Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Western Australian National Party|Western Australia]]
|[[Shane Love]] 
|[[2025 Western Australian state election|2025]]
|align=right|4.1
|{{Composition bar|6|59|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|2.8
|{{Composition bar|2|36|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| style="background-color:#FFCCCC" |[[Western Australian Liberal Party|Liberal]]–[[National Party of Western Australia|National]] opposition alliance
|{{Composition bar|0|15|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|12|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|National Party of Australia}};"|
|[[South Australian National Party|South Australia]]
|
|[[2022 South Australian state election|2022]]
|align=right|0.4 
|{{Composition bar|0|47|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|0.7
|{{Composition bar|0|22|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{no|Extra-parliamentary|align=left}}
|{{Composition bar|0|10|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|12|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|National Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Tasmanian National Party|Tasmania]]
|
|[[2025 Tasmanian state election|2025]]
|align=right|1.7
|{{Composition bar|0|35|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right {{N/A}}{{Efn|Tasmania elects [[Tasmanian Legislative Council|legislative council]] representatives on a periodic basis, with elections held almost every year}}
|{{Composition bar|0|15|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|{{no|Extra-parlimentary|align=left}}
|{{Composition bar|0|5|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|12|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
|}

==Political role==
[[File:Embassy of Argentina in Canberra.jpg|left|thumb|upright|John McEwen House, The National Party's headquarters in [[Canberra]]]]
The Nationals see their main role as giving a voice to Australians who live outside the country's metropolitan areas.

Traditionally, the leader of the National Party serves as [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia|Deputy Prime Minister]] when there is a [[Coalition (Australia)|coalition]] agreement with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]], and the two form Government. This tradition dates back to the creation of the office in 1968.

The National Party's support base and membership are closely associated with the agricultural community. Historically anti-union, the party has vacillated between state support for primary industries ("[[agrarian socialism]]") and free agricultural trade and has opposed tariff protection for Australia's manufacturing and service industries. It is usually in favor of industrial development, opposing green politics.

"Countrymindedness" was a slogan that summed up the ideology of the Country Party from 1920 through the early 1970s.<ref>Rae Wear, "Countrymindedness Revisited", (Australian Political Science Association, 1990) [http://apsa2000.anu.edu.au/confpapers/wear.rtf online edition] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723145257/http://apsa2000.anu.edu.au/confpapers/wear.rtf |date=23 July 2011 }}</ref> It was an ideology that was [[Physiocracy|physiocratic]], [[populism|populist]], and decentralist; it fostered rural solidarity and justified demands for government subsidies. "Countrymindedness" grew out of the failure of the country areas to participate in the rapid economic and population expansions that occurred after 1890. The growth of the ideology into urban areas came as most country people migrated to jobs in the cities. Its decline was due mainly to the reduction of real and psychological differences between country and city brought about by the postwar expansion of the Australian urban population and to the increased affluence and technological changes that accompanied it.<ref>Don Aitkin, "'Countrymindedness': The Spread of an Idea", ''ACH: The Journal of the History of Culture in Australia'', April 1985, Vol. 4, pp. 34–41</ref><ref>C.J. Duncan, "The demise of 'countrymindedness': New players or changing values in Australian rural politics?" Political Geography, Sep 1992, Vol. 11 Issue 5, pp. 430–448</ref>

The Nationals vote is in decline and its traditional supporters are turning instead to prominent independents such as [[Bob Katter]], [[Tony Windsor]] and [[Peter Andren]] in [[Parliament of Australia|Federal Parliament]] and similar independents in the Parliaments of [[New South Wales]], [[Queensland]] and [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], many of whom are former members of the National Party. In fact since the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 Federal election]], National Party candidates have received fewer first preference votes than the [[Australian Greens]].

Demographic changes are not helping, with fewer people living and employed on the land or in small towns, the continued growth of the larger provincial centres, and, in some cases, the arrival of left-leaning "city refugees" in rural areas. The Liberals have also gained support as the differences between the coalition partners on a federal level have become invisible. This was highlighted in January 2006, when Nationals Senator [[Julian McGauran]] defected to the Liberals, saying that there was "no longer any real distinguishing policy or philosophical difference".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/senator-mcgauran-quits-nationals/2006/01/23/1137864841636.html |title=Senator McGauran quits Nationals – National |newspaper=theage.com.au |date=23 January 2006 |access-date=30 April 2010 | location=Melbourne}}</ref>

In Queensland, Nationals leader [[Lawrence Springborg]] advocated merger of the National and Liberal parties at a state level in order to present a more effective opposition to the Labor Party. Previously this plan had been dismissed by the Queensland branch of the Liberal party, but the idea received in-principle support from the Liberals. Federal leader [[Mark Vaile]] stated the Nationals will not merge with the Liberal Party at a federal level. The plan was opposed by key Queensland Senators [[Ron Boswell]] and [[Barnaby Joyce]], and was scuttled in 2006. After suffering defeat in the 2006 Queensland poll, Lawrence Springborg was replaced by [[Jeff Seeney]], who indicated he was not interested in merging with the Liberal Party until the issue is seriously raised at a Federal level.

In September 2008, Joyce replaced CLP Senator and Nationals deputy leader [[Nigel Scullion]] as leader of the Nationals in the Senate, and stated that his party in the upper house would no longer necessarily vote with their Liberal counterparts in the upper house, which opened up another possible avenue for the [[First Rudd government|Rudd Labor government]] to get legislation through.<ref name="news.smh.com.au">{{cite news|url=http://news.smh.com.au/national/nationals-wont-toe-libs-line-joyce-20080918-4isw.html |title=Nationals won't toe Libs' line: Joyce |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=18 September 2008 |access-date=30 April 2010}}</ref><ref name="theaustralian.news.com.au">{{cite news |author=Berkovic, Nicola |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24363515-5013404,00.html |title=Leader Barnaby Joyce still a maverick |work=[[The Australian]] |date=18 September 2008 |access-date=30 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411170657/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24363515-5013404,00.html |archive-date=11 April 2009 }}</ref> Joyce was elected leader in a party-room ballot on 11 February 2016, following the retirement of former leader and Deputy Prime Minister [[Warren Truss]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/feb/11/warren-truss-to-reveal-his-retirement-plans-politics-live?page=with:block-56bc5be2e4b072fd3ded30f5#block-56bc5be2e4b072fd3ded30f5 |title=Barnaby Joyce wins Nationals leadership, Fiona Nash named deputy |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=Australia |author=Murphy, Katharine |date=11 February 2016 |access-date=11 February 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/parliament-pays-tribute-to-retiring-deputy-pm-warren-truss-ahead-of-barnaby-joyce-elevation-20160210-gmr3ca.html |title=Parliament pays tribute to retiring deputy PM Warren Truss ahead of Barnaby Joyce elevation |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |author=Gartrell, Adam |date=11 February 2016 |access-date=11 February 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-11/barnaby-joyce-named-as-new-nationals-leader/7161584 |title=Barnaby Joyce elected unopposed as new Nationals leader |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |author=Keany, Francis |date=11 February 2016 |access-date= 11 February 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/03/2107931.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205073820/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/03/2107931.htm |archive-date=5 December 2007 |title=Truss wins Nationals leadership |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=30 April 2010 }}</ref> Joyce was one of five politicians disqualified from parliament in October 2017 [[2017 Australian parliamentary eligibility crisis|for holding dual citizenship]], along with former deputy leader, [[Fiona Nash]].

The [[1987 Australian federal election]] was the last time the National party received over 10% of the vote and the [[2007 Australian federal election]] was the last time the National party received over 5% of the vote for the House of Representatives.

==Queensland Liberal/National merger==
{{Main|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}
Merger plans came to a head in May 2008, when the Queensland state Liberal Party gave an announcement not to wait for a federal blueprint but instead to merge immediately. The new party, the [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Liberal National Party]], was founded in July 2008.

==Electoral performance==
===House of Representatives===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Election
! Leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Position
! Status
|-
! [[1919 Australian federal election|1919]]
| ''None''
| 176,884
| 8.7
| {{Composition bar|11|75|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 11
| {{increase}} 3rd
| {{no2|Crossbench}}
|-
! [[1922 Australian federal election|1922]]
| rowspan=7| [[Earle Page]]
| 197,513
| 12.5
| {{Composition bar|14|75|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Nationalist Party (Australia)|Nationalists]]}}''
|-
! [[1925 Australian federal election|1925]]
| 313,363
| 10.7
| {{Composition bar|13|75|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Nationalist Party (Australia)|Nationalists]]}}''
|-
! [[1928 Australian federal election|1928]]
| 271,686
| 10.4
| {{Composition bar|13|75|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Nationalist Party (Australia)|Nationalists]]}}''
|-
! [[1929 Australian federal election|1929]]
| 295,640
| 10.2
| {{Composition bar|10|75|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1931 Australian federal election|1931]]
| 388,544
| 12.2
| {{Composition bar|16|75|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 6
| {{increase}} 2nd 
| {{no2|Crossbench}}
|-
! [[1934 Australian federal election|1934]]
| 447,968
| 12.6
| {{Composition bar|14|74|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{decrease}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[United Australia Party|UAP]]}}''
|-
! [[1937 Australian federal election|1937]]
| 560,279
| 15.5
| {{Composition bar|16|74|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[United Australia Party|UAP]]}}''
|-
! rowspan=2|[[1940 Australian federal election|1940]]
| rowspan=2|[[Archie Cameron]]
| rowspan=2|531,397
| rowspan=2|13.7
| rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|13|74|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| rowspan=2|{{decrease}} 3
| rowspan=2|{{steady}} 3rd
| style="background-color:#CCCCFF"|Minority [[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]<br>''{{Small|with the [[United Australia Party|UAP]]}}''<br>{{small|(1940–41)}}
|-
| {{no2|Opposition}}<br>{{small|(1941–43)}}
|-
! [[1943 Australian federal election|1943]]
| rowspan=6| [[Arthur Fadden]]
| 287,000
| 6.9
| {{Composition bar|7|74|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 6
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1946 Australian federal election|1946]]
| 464,737
| 10.7
| {{Composition bar|11|76|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1949 Australian federal election|1949]]
| 500,349
| 10.8
| {{Composition bar|19|121|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 8
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1951 Australian federal election|1951]]
| 443,713
| 9.7
| {{Composition bar|17|121|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1954 Australian federal election|1954]]
| 388,171
| 8.5
| {{Composition bar|17|121|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1955 Australian federal election|1955]]
| 347,445
| 7.9
| {{Composition bar|18|122|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1958 Australian federal election|1958]]
| rowspan=5| [[John McEwen]]
| 465,320
| 9.3
| {{Composition bar|19|122|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1961 Australian federal election|1961]]
| 446,475
| 8.5
| {{Composition bar|17|122|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1963 Australian federal election|1963]]
| 489,498
| 8.9
| {{Composition bar|20|122|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1966 Australian federal election|1966]]
| 561,926
| 9.8
| {{Composition bar|21|124|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1969 Australian federal election|1969]]
| 523,232
| 8.5
| {{Composition bar|20|125|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1972 Australian federal election|1972]]
| rowspan=6| [[Doug Anthony]]
| 622,826
| 9.4
| {{Composition bar|20|125|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1974 Australian federal election|1974]]
| 736,252
| 9.9
| {{Composition bar|21|127|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1975 Australian federal election|1975]]
| 869,919
| 11.2
| {{Composition bar|23|127|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1977 Australian federal election|1977]]
| 793,444
| 10.0
| {{Composition bar|19|124|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1980 Australian federal election|1980]]
| 745,037
| 8.9
| {{Composition bar|20|125|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1983 Australian federal election|1983]]
| 799,609
| 9.2
| {{Composition bar|17|125|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1984 Australian federal election|1984]]
| rowspan=2| [[Ian Sinclair]]
| 921,151
| 10.6
| {{Composition bar|21|148|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1987 Australian federal election|1987]]
| 1,060,976
| 11.5
| {{Composition bar|19|148|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1990 Australian federal election|1990]]
| [[Charles Blunt]]
| 833,557
| 8.4
| {{Composition bar|14|148|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1993 Australian federal election|1993]]
| rowspan=3|[[Tim Fischer]]
| 758,036
| 7.1
| {{Composition bar|16|147|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1996 Australian federal election|1996]]
| 893,170
| 7.1
| {{Composition bar|18|148|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[1998 Australian federal election|1998]]
| 588,088
| 5.2
| {{Composition bar|16|148|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[2001 Australian federal election|2001]]
| rowspan=2| [[John Anderson (Australian politician)|John Anderson]]
| 643,926
| 5.6
| {{Composition bar|13|150|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[2004 Australian federal election|2004]]
| 690,275
| 5.8
| {{Composition bar|12|150|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[2007 Australian federal election|2007]]
| [[Mark Vaile]]
| 682,424
| 5.4
| {{Composition bar|10|150|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2010 Australian federal election|2010]]
| rowspan=2| [[Warren Truss]]
| 419,286
| 3.4
| {{Composition bar|12|150|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}{{Efn|group=Note|Including the 5 LNP MPs who sit in the National party room.}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2013 Australian federal election|2013]]
| 554,268
| 4.2
| {{Composition bar|15|150|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}{{Efn|name=sixMP}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[2016 Australian federal election|2016]]
| [[Barnaby Joyce]]
| 624,555
| 4.6
| {{Composition bar|16|150|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}{{Efn|name=sixMP}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[2019 Australian federal election|2019]]
| [[Michael McCormack (Australian politician)|Michael McCormack]]
| 642,233
| 4.5
| {{Composition bar|16|151|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}{{Efn|name=sixMP}}
| {{steady}}
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|[[Liberal–National Coalition|Coalition]]}}<br>''{{Small|with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]}}''
|-
! [[2022 Australian federal election|2022]]
| [[Barnaby Joyce]]
| 528,442
| 3.6
| {{Composition bar|16|151|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}{{Efn|name=sixMP}}
| {{steady}}
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2025 Australian federal election|2025]]
| [[David Littleproud]]
| 588,778
| 3.8
| {{Composition bar|15|150|hex={{party color|National Party of Australia}}}}{{Efn|name=sixMP}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|}

{{Reflist|group=Note}}

==Leadership==
{{Further|National Party of Australia leadership elections}}

===List of leaders===
{| class="wikitable""
|-
! #
! Leader
! Portrait
! Electorate
! Took office
! |Left office
! |Portfolio
! colspan=2|Prime Minister<br />{{small|(term)}}
|-
! align=center|1
| [[File:WMcWilliams.JPG|60px]]
| {{sortname|William|McWilliams}}
| [[Division of Franklin|Franklin]], Tas.
| align=center|{{dts|24 February 1920}}
| align=center|{{dts|5 April 1921}}
| 
| style="background-color: {{party color|Nationalist Party (Australia)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Billy Hughes|Hughes]] {{small|1917–1923}}
|-
! rowspan=6 align=center|2
| rowspan=6|[[File:Earle Page.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=6|{{sortname|Earle|Page}}
| rowspan=6|[[Division of Cowper|Cowper]], NSW
| rowspan=6 align=center|{{dts|5 April 1921}}
| rowspan=6 align=center|{{dts|13 September 1939}} 
| rowspan=6|[[Treasurer of Australia|Treasurer]] {{small|1923–1929}}<br />[[Minister for Industry and Innovation|Minister for Commerce]] {{small|1934–1939}}<br />[[Minister for Health and Ageing|Minister for Health]] {{small|1938—1939}}
| style="background-color: {{party color|Nationalist Party (Australia)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Billy Hughes|Hughes]] {{small|1917–1923}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Nationalist Party (Australia)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Stanley Bruce|Bruce]] {{small|1923–1929}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[James Scullin|Scullin]] {{small|1929–1932}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|United Australia Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Joseph Lyons|Lyons]] {{small|1932–1939}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|National Party of Australia}}|
| ''Himself'' {{small|1939}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|United Australia Party}}|
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Robert Menzies|Menzies]] {{small|1939–1941}}
|-
! align=center|3
| [[File:Archie Cameron 1940.jpg|60px]]
| {{sortname|Archie|Cameron}}
| [[Division of Barker|Barker]], SA
| align=center|[[1939 Country Party of Australia leadership election|13 September 1939]]
| align=center|{{dts|16 October 1940}}
| [[Minister for Industry and Innovation|Minister for Commerce]] {{small|1940}}<br />[[Minister for Defence (Australia)|Minister for the Navy]] {{small|1940}}
| style="background-color: {{party color|United Australia Party}}|
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Robert Menzies|Menzies]] {{small|1939–1941}}
|-
! rowspan=6 align=center|4
| rowspan=6|[[File:Arthur Fadden.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=6|{{sortname|Arthur|Fadden}}
| rowspan=6|[[Division of Darling Downs|Darling Downs]], Qld.<br />[[Division of McPherson|McPherson]], Qld.
| rowspan=6 align=center|{{dts|16 October 1940}}<br/>{{Small|acting until}}<br />{{Small|12 March 1941}}
| rowspan=6 align=center|{{dts|12 March 1958}}
| rowspan=6|[[Treasurer of Australia]] {{small|1940–1941}}, {{small|1949–1958}}<br />
| style="background-color: {{party color|United Australia Party}}|
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Robert Menzies|Menzies]] {{small|1939–1941}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|National Party of Australia}}|
| ''Himself'' {{small|1941}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[John Curtin|Curtin]] {{small|1941–1945}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Frank Forde|Forde]] {{small|1945}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Ben Chifley|Chifley]] {{small|1941–1945}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Robert Menzies|Menzies]] {{small|1949–1966}}
|-
! rowspan=5 align=center|5
| rowspan=5|[[File:Sir_John_McEwen.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=5|{{sortname|John|McEwen}}
| rowspan=5|[[Division of Murray|Murray]], Vic.
| rowspan=5 align=center|{{dts|26 March 1958}}
| rowspan=5 align=center|{{dts|1 February 1971}}
| rowspan=5|[[Minister for Trade and Tourism|Minister for Trade]] {{small|1956–1963}}<br />[[Minister for Trade and Tourism|Minister for Trade and Industry]] {{small|1963–1971}}
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Robert Menzies|Menzies]] {{small|1949–1966}}
|- 
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Harold Holt|Holt]] {{small|1966–1967}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|National Party of Australia}}|
| ''Himself'' {{small|1968}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[John Gorton|Gorton]] {{small|1968–1971}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[William McMahon|McMahon]] {{small|1971–1972}}
|-
! rowspan=4 align=center|6
| rowspan=4|[[File:Doug Anthony 1974 (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=4|{{sortname|Doug|Anthony}}
| rowspan=4|[[Division of Richmond|Richmond]], NSW
| rowspan=4 align=center|{{dts|2 February 1971}}
| rowspan=4 align=center|{{dts|17 January 1984}}
| rowspan=4 |1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1983
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[William McMahon|McMahon]] {{small|1971–1972}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Gough Whitlam|Whitlam]] {{small|1972–1975}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Malcolm Fraser|Fraser]] {{small|1975–1983}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Bob Hawke|Hawke]] {{small|1983–1991}}
|-
! align=center|7
| [[File:Ian Sinclair 1970 (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| {{sortname|Ian|Sinclair}}
| [[Division of New England|New England]], NSW
| align=center|{{dts|17 January 1984}}
| align=center|{{dts|9 May 1989}}
| 1984, 1987
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Bob Hawke|Hawke]] {{small|1983–1991}}
|-
! align=center|8
| 
| {{sortname|Charles|Blunt}}
| [[Division of Richmond|Richmond]], NSW
| align=center|{{dts|9 May 1989}}
| align=center|{{dts|6 April 1990}}
| 1990
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Bob Hawke|Hawke]] {{small|1983–1991}}
|-
! rowspan=3 align=center|9
| rowspan=3|[[File:Tim Fischer.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=3|{{sortname|Tim|Fischer}}
| rowspan=3|[[Division of Farrer|Farrer]], NSW
| rowspan=3 align=center|{{dts|19 April 1990}}
| rowspan=3 align=center|{{dts|1 July 1999}}
| rowspan=3|1993, 1996, 1998
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Bob Hawke|Hawke]] {{small|1983–1991}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Paul Keating|Keating]] {{small|1991–1996}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[John Howard|Howard]] {{small|1996–2007}}
|-
! align=center|10
| [[File:John Anderson at Newstead (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| {{sortname|John|Anderson|John Anderson (Australian politician)}}
| [[Division of Gwydir|Gwydir]], NSW
| align=center|{{dts|1 July 1999}}
| align=center|{{dts|23 June 2005}}
| 2001, 2005
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[John Howard|Howard]] {{small|1996–2007}}
|-
! align=center|11
| [[File:Mark Vaile (TM).jpg|60px]]
| {{sortname|Mark|Vaile}}
| [[Division of Lyne|Lyne]], NSW
| align=center|{{dts|23 June 2005}}
| align=center|{{dts|3 December 2007}}
| 2007
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[John Howard|Howard]] {{small|1996–2007}}
|-
! rowspan=6 align=center|12
| rowspan=6|[[File:Warren Truss Portrait 2010.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=6|{{sortname|Warren|Truss}}
| rowspan=6|[[Division of Wide Bay|Wide Bay]], Qld.
| rowspan=6 align=center|{{dts|7 December 2007}}
| rowspan=6 align=center|{{dts|11 February 2016}}
| rowspan=6|2010, 2013
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Kevin Rudd|Rudd]] {{small|2007–2010}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Julia Gillard|Gillard]] {{small|2010–2013}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Kevin Rudd|Rudd]] {{small|2007–2010}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Kevin Rudd|Rudd]] {{small|2013}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Tony Abbott|Abbott]] {{small|2013–2015}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Malcolm Turnbull|Turnbull]] {{small|2015–2018}}
|-
! align=center|13
| [[File:Barnaby Joyce portrait.jpg|60px]]
| {{sortname|Barnaby|Joyce}}
| [[Division of New England|New England]], NSW
| align=center|{{dts|11 February 2016}}
| align=center|[[2018 National Party of Australia leadership election|26 February 2018]]
| 2016
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Malcolm Turnbull|Turnbull]] {{small|2015–2018}}
|-
! rowspan=2 align=center|14
| rowspan=2|[[File:Michael McCormack 2018-02 (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=2|{{sortname|Michael|McCormack|dab=Australian politician}}
| rowspan=2|[[Division of Riverina|Riverina]], NSW
| rowspan=2 align=center|[[2018 National Party of Australia leadership election|26 February 2018]]
| rowspan=2 align=center|{{dts|21 June 2021}}
| rowspan=2|2019
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Malcolm Turnbull|Turnbull]] {{small|2015–2018}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Scott Morrison|Morrison]] {{small|2018–2022}}
|-
! rowspan=2 align=center|(13)
| rowspan=2|[[File:Barnaby Joyce portrait.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=2|{{sortname|Barnaby|Joyce}}
| rowspan=2|[[Division of New England|New England]], NSW
| rowspan=2 align=center|[[2021 National Party of Australia leadership spill|21 June 2021]]
| rowspan=2 align=center|30 May 2022
| rowspan=2|2022
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Scott Morrison|Morrison]] {{small|2018–2022}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Anthony Albanese|Albanese]] {{small|2022-2025}}
|-
! align=center|15
| [[File:David Littleproud.jpg|60px]]
| {{sortname|David|Littleproud}}
| [[Division of Maranoa|Maranoa]], Qld.
| align=center|[[2022 National Party of Australia leadership spill|30 May 2022]]
| align=center|Incumbent
| 2025
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
! style="font-weight:normal"|[[Anthony Albanese|Albanese]] {{small|2025–present}}
|-
|}

===List of deputy leaders===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width=5 | Order !! width=150 | Name 
!State!! width="130" | Term start !! width=130| Term end !! width=100| Time in office !! Leader
|-
! align=center| 1
| {{sortname|Edmund|Jowett}} 
|Victoria|| align="center" | 24 February 1920 || align=center| 5 April 1921 || align=center| {{ayd|1920|02|24|1921|04|05|df=y}} || align=center| [[William McWilliams|McWilliams]]
|-
! align=center| 2
| [[Henry Gregory (politician)|Henry Gregory]] 
|Western Australia|| align="center" | 5 April 1921 || align=center| 2 December 1921 || align=center|{{ayd|1921|04|05|1921|12|2|df=y}} || rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;"| [[Earle Page|Page]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| ''vacant'' 
| || align="center" | 23 February 1922 || align=center| 27 June 1922 || 
|-
! align=center| 3
| [[William Fleming (Australian politician)|William Fleming]] 
|New South Wales|| align="center" | 27 June 1922 || align=center| 16 January 1923 || align=center| {{ayd|1922|6|27|1923|1|16|df=y}}
|- 
! align=center| 4
| [[William Gibson (Australian politician)|William Gibson]] 
|Victoria|| align="center" | 16 January 1923 || align=center| 19 November 1929 || align=center| {{ayd|1923|1|16|1929|11|19|df=y}}
|-
! align=center| 5
| [[Thomas Paterson]] 
|New South Wales|| align="center" | 19 November 1929 || align=center| 27 November 1937 || align=center| {{ayd|1929|11|19|1937|11|27|df=y}}
|-
! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 6
| rowspan=2 |[[Harold Thorby]] 
| || || || style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|{{ayd|1937|11|27|1940|8|15|df=y}}
|-
|New South Wales
| align="center" |27 November 1937 || align=center| 15 October 1940 || align=center | [[Archie Cameron|Cameron]]
|-
! align=center| 7
| [[Arthur Fadden]] 
|Queensland|| align="center" | 15 October 1940 || align=center| 12 March 1941 || align=center|{{ayd|1940|10|15|1941|3|12|df=y}} || align=center| ''vacant''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| ''vacant'' 
| || align="center" | 12 March 1941 || align=center| 22 September 1943  ||  || style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| [[Arthur Fadden|Fadden]]
|-
! align=center| 8
| [[John McEwen]]
|Victoria
| align="center" | 22 September 1943 || align=center| 26 March 1958 || align=center|{{nowrap|{{ayd|1943|9|22|1958|3|26|df=y}}}}
|-
! align=center| 9
| [[Charles Davidson (politician)|Charles Davidson]] 
|Queensland|| align="center" | 26 March 1958 || align=center| 11 December 1963 || align=center| {{ayd|1958|3|26|1963|12|11|df=y}} || style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"| [[John McEwen|McEwen]]
|-
! align=center| 10
| [[Charles Adermann]] 
|Queensland|| align="center" | 11 December 1963 || align=center| 8 December 1966 || align=center| {{ayd|1963|12|11|1966|12|8|df=y}}
|-
! align=center| 11
| [[Doug Anthony]] 
|New South Wales|| align="center" | 8 December 1966 || align=center| 2 February 1971 || align=center| {{ayd|1966|12|8|1971|2|2|df=y}}
|-
! align=center| 12
| [[Ian Sinclair]] 
|New South Wales|| align="center" | 2 February 1971 || align=center| 17 January 1984 || align=center | {{nowrap|{{ayd|1971|02|2|1984|1|17|df=y}}}} || align=center| [[Doug Anthony|Anthony]]
|-
! align=center| 13
| [[Ralph Hunt (Australian politician)|Ralph Hunt]] 
|New South Wales|| align="center" | 17 January 1984 || align=center| 24 July 1987 || align=center| {{ayd|1984|1|17|1987|7|24|df=y}} || style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| [[Ian Sinclair|Sinclair]]
|-
! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"| 14
| rowspan=3| [[Bruce Lloyd]] 
| || || || rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| {{ayd|1987|7|24|1993|3|23|df=y}}
|-
|Victoria
| align="center" | 24 July 1987 || align=center| 23 March 1993 || align=center| [[Charles Blunt|Blunt]]
|-
|
| || || style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| [[Tim Fischer|Fischer]]
|-
! align=center| 15
| [[John Anderson (Australian politician)|John Anderson]] 
|New South Wales|| align="center" | 23 March 1993 || align=center| 1 July 1999 || align=center| {{ayd|1993|3|23|1999|7|1|df=y}}
|-
! align=center| 16
| [[Mark Vaile]] 
|New South Wales|| align="center" | 1 July 1999 || align=center | 23 June 2005 || align=center | {{ayd|1999|07|1|2005|06|23|df=y}} || align=center| [[John Anderson (Australian politician)|Anderson]]
|-
! align=center| 17
| [[Warren Truss]] 
|Queensland|| align="center" | 23 June 2005 || align=center | 3 December 2007 || align=center |{{ayd|2005|06|23|2007|12|3|df=y}} || align=center| [[Mark Vaile|Vaile]]
|-
! align=center| 18
| [[Nigel Scullion]] 
|Northern Territory|| align="center" | 3 December 2007 || align=center| 13 September 2013 || align=center| {{ayd|2007|12|3|2013|9|13|df=y}} || style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| [[Warren Truss|Truss]]
|-
! align=center| 19
| [[Barnaby Joyce]] 
|Queensland|| align="center" | 13 September 2013 || align=center| 11 February 2016 || align=center| {{ayd|2013|9|13|2016|2|11|df=y}}
|-
! align=center| 20
| [[Fiona Nash]] 
|New South Wales|| align="center" | 11 February 2016 || align=center| 7 December 2017 || align=center| {{ayd|2016|02|11|2017|12|07}}|| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| [[Barnaby Joyce|Joyce]]
|-
! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 21
| rowspan=2| [[Bridget McKenzie]] 
| || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 7 December 2017 || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|  2 February 2020 || 
|-
|Victoria
| align="center" |  {{ayd|2017|12|07|2020|2|2}} || style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| [[Michael McCormack (Australian politician)|McCormack]]
|-
! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 22
| rowspan=2 |[[David Littleproud]] 
| || || || style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|{{ayd|2020|2|4|2022|5|30}}
|-
|Queensland
| align="center" |4 February 2020 || align=center|30 May 2022 || align=center|[[Barnaby Joyce|Joyce]]
|-
!23
|[[Perin Davey]]
|New South Wales
| align="center" | [[2022 National Party of Australia leadership spill|30 May 2022]]
| align="center" | 12 May 2025
|{{ayd|2022|05|30}}
|[[David Littleproud|Littleproud]]
|-
!24
|[[Kevin Hogan (politician)|Kevin Hogan]]
|New South Wales
| align="center" | [[2025 National Party of Australia leadership spill|12 May 2025]]
| align="center" | Incumbent
|{{ayd|2025|05|12}}
|[[David Littleproud|Littleproud]]
|}

===List of Senate leaders===
The Country Party's first senators began their terms in 1926, but the party had no official leader in the upper chamber until 1935. Instead, the party nominated a "representative" or "liaison officer" where necessary – usually [[William Carroll (Australian politician)|William Carroll]]. This was so that its members "were first and foremost representatives of their states, able to enjoy complete freedom of action and speech in the Senate and not beholden to the dictates of [...] a party Senate leader". On 3 October 1935, [[Charles Hardy (Australian politician)|Charles Hardy]] was elected as Carroll's replacement and began using the title "Leader of the Country Party in the Senate". This usage was disputed by Carroll and [[Bertie Johnston]], but a subsequent party meeting on 10 October confirmed Hardy's position.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4BoBjz6pHwUC|title=Ninety Not Out: The Nationals 1920–2010|author=Paul Davey|year=2010|publisher=UNSW Press|page=57|isbn=978-1-74223-166-2}}</ref> However, after Hardy's term ended in 1938 (due to his defeat at the 1937 election), the party did not elect another Senate leader until 1949 – apparently due to its small number of senators.<ref>Davey (2010), p. 58.</ref>

Unlike the leader in the House of Representatives, the Senate leader has not always been a member of the ministry or shadow ministry at all times. 

{| class=wikitable
|-
! # !! Name 
!State!! Term start !! Term end !! Time in office !! Deputy
|-
! align=center| 1
| {{sortname|Charles|Hardy|dab=Australian politician}}
|New South Wales
| align="center" | 10 October 1935 || align=center| 30 June 1938
| align=center | {{ayd|1935|10|10|1938|6|30|df=y}}
| rowspan=10 |
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| ''vacant''
|
| align="center" | 30 June 1938 || align=center| 1949
| 
|- 
! align=center| 2
| {{sortname|Walter|Cooper|dab=Queensland politician}}
|Queensland
| align="center" | {{dts|1949}} || align=center| {{dts|1960}}
| align=right |
|- 
! align=center| 3
| {{sortname|Harrie|Wade}}
|Victoria
| align="center" | {{dts|1961}} || align=center| {{dts|1964}}
| align=right |
|-
! align=center| 4
| {{sortname|Colin|McKellar}}
|New South Wales
| align="center" | {{dts|1964}} || align=center| {{dts|1969}}
| align=right |
|-
! align=center| 5
| {{sortname|Tom|Drake-Brockman}}
|Western Australia
| align="center" | {{dts|1969}} || align=center| {{dts|1975}}
| align=right |
|-
! align=center| 6
| {{sortname|James|Webster|dab=Australian politician}}
|Victoria
| align="center" | {{dts|1976}} || align=center| {{dts|1980}}
| align=right |
|-
! align=center| 7
| {{sortname|Douglas|Scott|dab=politician}}
|New South Wales
| align="center" | {{dts|February 1980}} || align=center| {{dts|30 June 1985}}
| align=right |
|-
! align=center| 8
| {{sortname|Stan|Collard}}
|Queensland
| align="center" | {{dts|1 July 1985}} || align=center| {{dts|5 June 1987}}
| align=center | {{ayd|1985|07|01|1987|06|05}}
|-
! align=center| 9
| {{sortname|John|Stone|dab=Australian politician}}
|Queensland
| align="center" | {{dts|21 August 1987}} || align=center| {{dts|1 March 1990}}
| align=center | {{ayd|1987|08|21|1990|03|01}}
|-
! align=center| 10
| {{sortname|Ron|Boswell}}
|Queensland
| align="center" | {{dts|10 April 1990 }} || align=center| {{dts|3 December 2007}}
| align=center | {{nowrap|{{ayd|1990|04|10|2007|12|03}}}}
| [[Sandy Macdonald]]
|-
! align=center| 11
| {{sortname|Nigel|Scullion}}
|Northern Territory
| align="center" | {{dts|3 December 2007}} || align=center| {{dts|17 September 2008}}
| align=center | {{ayd|2007|12|03|2008|09|17}}
| Ron Boswell
|-
! align=center| 12
| {{sortname|Barnaby|Joyce}}
|Queensland
| align="center" | {{dts|17 September 2008}} || align=center| {{dts|8 August 2013}}
| align=center | {{ayd|2008|09|17|2013|08|08}}
| rowspan=2 | [[Fiona Nash]]
|-
! align=center| (11)
|{{sortname|Nigel|Scullion}}
|Northern Territory
| align="center" | {{dts|8 August 2013}} || align=center| {{dts|28 May 2019}}
| align=center | {{ayd|2013|08|08|2019|05|28}}
|-
! align=center| 13
|{{sortname|Bridget|McKenzie}}
|Victoria
| align="center" | {{dts|28 May 2019}} || align=center| ''incumbent''
| align=center | {{ayd|2019|05|28}}
| [[Matt Canavan]] [[Susan McDonald]]
|}

==Past heads of government and opposition leaders==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

=== Federal ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Role
!Term
|-
|[[Earle Page]] || [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] || 7 April 1939 – 26 April 1939
|-
|rowspan=2| [[Arthur Fadden]] || Prime Minister || 29 August 1941 – 7 October 1941
|-
| [[Leader of the Opposition (Australia)|Leader of the Opposition]] || 7 October 1941 – 23 September 1943
|-
|[[John McEwen]] || Prime Minister || 19 December 1967 – 10 January 1968
|}

=== Queensland ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Role
!Term
|-
| [[William Vowles]] || [[Leader of the Opposition (Queensland)|Leader of the Opposition]] || 28 July 1920 – 11 July 1923
|-
| rowspan=2| [[Arthur Edward Moore|Arthur Moore]] || rowspan=2| Leader of the Opposition || 19 April 1924 – 12 May 1925
|-
| 7 April 1936 – 15 July 1936
|-
| [[Ted Maher (politician)|Ted Maher]] || Leader of the Opposition || 15 July 1936 – 21 May 1941
|-
|rowspan=2| [[Frank Nicklin]] || Leader of the Opposition || 21 May 1941 – 12 August 1957
|-
| [[Premier of Queensland|Premier]] || 12 August 1957 – 17 January 1968
|-
|[[Jack Pizzey]] || Premier || 17 January 1968 – 31 July 1968
|-
|[[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]] || Premier || 8 August 1968 – 1 December 1987
|-
|[[Mike Ahern (Australian politician)|Mike Ahern]] || Premier || 1 December 1987 – 25 September 1989
|-
|rowspan=2| [[Russell Cooper]] || Premier || 25 September 1989 – 7 December 1989
|-
| Leader of the Opposition || 7 December 1989 – 9 December 1991
|-
|rowspan=3| [[Rob Borbidge]] || Leader of the Opposition || 10 December 1991 – 19 February 1996
|-
| Premier ||  19 February 1996 – 20 June 1998 
|-
| Leader of the Opposition || 20 June 1998 – 2 March 2001
|-
| [[Mike Horan (politician)|Mike Horan]] || Leader of the Opposition || 2 March 2001 – 4 February 2003
|-
| [[Lawrence Springborg]] || Leader of the Opposition || 4 February 2003 – 18 September 2006
|-
| [[Jeff Seeney]] || Leader of the Opposition || 18 September 2006 – 29 January 2008
|-
| [[Lawrence Springborg]] || Leader of the Opposition || 29 January 2008 – 26 July 2008
|}

=== Victoria ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Role
!Term
|-
|[[John Allan (Australian politician)|John Allan]] || [[Premier of Victoria|Premier]] || 18 November 1924 – 20 May 1927
|-
|rowspan=3| [[Albert Dunstan]] || Premier || 2 April 1935 – 14 September 1943
|-
| [[Leader of the Opposition (Victoria)|Leader of the Opposition]] || 14 September 1943 – 18 September 1943
|-
| Premier || 18 September 1943 – 2 October 1945
|-
|rowspan=4| [[John McDonald (Victorian politician)|John McDonald]] || rowspan=2| Leader of the Opposition || 21 November 1945 – 20 November 1947
|- 
| 7 December 1948 – 27 June 1950
|-
| rowspan=2| Premier || 27 June 1950 – 28 October 1952
|-
|  31 October 1952 – 17 December 1952
|}

=== Western Australia ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Role
!Term
|-
|[[Charles Latham]] || [[Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)|Leader of the Opposition]] || 24 April 1933 – 8 October 1942
|-
|[[Arthur Watts (politician)|Arthur Watts]] || Leader of the Opposition || 8 October 1942 – 1 April 1947
|-
|[[Mia Davies]] || Leader of the Opposition || 14 April 2021 – 30 January 2023
|-
|[[Shane Love]] || Leader of the Opposition || 30 January 2023 – 25 March 2025
|}
{{col-end}}

== Donors ==
{{See also|Political funding in Australia}}
For the 2015–2016 financial year, the top ten disclosed donors to the National Party were: [[Manildra Group]] ($182,000), Ognis Pty Ltd ($100,000), Trepang Services ($70,000), Northwake Pty Ltd ($65,000), [[Hancock Prospecting]] ($58,000), Bindaree Beef ($50,000), Mowburn Nominees ($50,000), Retail Guild of Australia ($48,000), [[CropLife International]] ($43,000) and [[Macquarie Group]] ($38,000).<ref>{{cite web|title=Donor Summary by Party Group|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonorGroup.aspx|website=www.periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au|access-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831171109/http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonorGroup.aspx|archive-date=31 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Donor Summary by Party|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonor.aspx|website=www.periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au|access-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920120002/http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonor.aspx|archive-date=20 September 2017}}</ref>

The National Party also receives undisclosed funding through several methods, such as "associated entities". John McEwen House, Pilliwinks and Doogary are entities which have been used to funnel donations to the National Party without disclosing the source.<ref>{{cite web|title=Australian political donations: Who gave how much?|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=24 October 2016|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-24/aec-political-donations-table/7959394|access-date=7 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=John McEwen House Pty Ltd|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/AssociatedEntity.aspx?SubmissionId=60&ClientId=275|access-date=7 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907212659/http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/AssociatedEntity.aspx?SubmissionId=60&ClientId=275|archive-date=7 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Pilliwinks Pty Ltd as Trustee National Party Foundation|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/AssociatedEntity.aspx?SubmissionId=60&ClientId=34689|access-date=7 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907170315/http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/AssociatedEntity.aspx?SubmissionId=60&ClientId=34689|archive-date=7 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Dowling |first1=Jason |title=Disclosure rules far from revealing|work=The Age |date=5 February 2011 |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/disclosure-rules-far-from-revealing-20110204-1agxv.html|access-date=7 September 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Conservatism|Politics|Australia}}
* [[Young Nationals (Australia)]]
* [[Leader of the New South Wales National Party]]
* [[Katter's Australian Party]]
* [[National Party of Australia leadership spill, 2007]]

==Further reading==
*Aitkin, Don. ''The country party in New South Wales'' (1972) [https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstreams/9b8feb9a-eef0-48b5-b378-05f234937aaa/download online]

*Aitkin, Don. "'Countrymindedness': The Spread of an Idea", ''ACH: The Journal of the History of Culture in Australia'', April 1985, Vol. 4, pp 34–41
* Barbalet, J. M. "Tri‐partism in Australia: The role of the Australian country party." ''Politics'' 10.1 (1975): 1-14. [https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstreams/9b8feb9a-eef0-48b5-b378-05f234937aaa/download online]

* Cockfield, Geoff. "The Formation of the Queensland Liberal National Party: Origins, Prospects and Implications for Australian Political Systems." ''Australian Journal of Politics & History'' 66.1 (2020): 78-93.

* Davey, Paul. ''The Nationals: the Progressive, Country, and National Party in New South Wales 1919–2006'' (2006) [https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=fpyw6Oncs5QC&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=NATIONAL++party+in+Australia.&ots=mXdkKDxg_C&sig=p2RfV5eOAE_lrHwMowlMdp_YaZY online]

* Davey, Paul. "Politics in the Blood – The Anthonys of Richmond" (2008)
* Davey, Paul. "Ninety Not Out – The Nationals 1920-2010" (2010)
* Davey, Paul. "The Country Party Prime Ministers – Their Trials and Tribulations" (2011)
* Duncan, C.J. "The demise of 'countrymindedness': New players or changing values in Australian rural politics?" ''Political Geography'', Sep 1992, Vol. 11 Issue 5, pp 430–448

* Epstein, Leon D. "A comparative study of Australian parties." ''British Journal of Political Science'' 7.1 (1977): 1-21.

* Graham, B. D. "Graziers in Politics, 1917 To 1929", ''Historical Studies: Australia and New Zealand'', 1959, Vol. 8 Issue 32, pp 383–391
* Graham, B. D. "The country party and the formation of the Bruce‐Page ministry." ''Australian Historical Studies'' 10.37 (1961): 71-85.

* Graham, Bruce D. "The Present Standing of the Australian Country Parties." ''Political Science'' 16.1 (1964): 46-60.

* Leithner, Christian.  "Rational Behaviour, Economic Conditions and the Australian Country Party, 1922–1937", ''Australian Journal of Political Science'', July 1991, Vol. 26 Issue 2, pp 240–259

* Phillimore, John, and Lance McMahon. "Moving beyond 100 years: The "WA approach" to National Party survival." ''Australian Journal of Politics & History'' 61.1 (2015): 37-52. [https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/195663521.pdf online]

* Williams, John R. "The Organization of the Australian National Party", ''Australian Quarterly'', 1969, Vol. 41 Issue 2, pp 41–51,
* {{cite news |last1=Manning |first1=Paddy |title=Inside the Nationals |url=https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2020/april/1585659600/paddy-manning/inside-nationals |access-date=18 August 2020 |work=The Monthly |date=1 April 2020}}

* Williams, John R. "The emergence of the Liberal Party of Australia." ''Australian Quarterly'' 39.1 (1967): 7-27. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20634106 online]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Commons category|National Party of Australia}}
{{National Party of Australia}}
{{Australian political parties}}
{{Politics of Australia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:National Party of Australia}}
[[Category:National Party of Australia| ]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1920]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in Australia]]
[[Category:Agrarian parties in Australia]]
[[Category:1920 establishments in Australia]]