▁differences ▁between ▁country ▁and ▁city ▁brought ▁about ▁by ▁the ▁post war ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁urban ▁population ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁increased ▁aff lu ence ▁and ▁techn ological ▁changes ▁that ▁accompanied ▁it . ▁ ▁The ▁National s ▁vote ▁is ▁in ▁decl ine ▁and ▁its ▁traditional ▁supp or ters ▁are ▁turning ▁instead ▁to ▁prominent ▁independ ents ▁such ▁as ▁Bob ▁K atter , ▁Tony ▁W inds or ▁and ▁Peter ▁And ren ▁in ▁Federal ▁Parliament ▁and ▁similar ▁independ ents ▁in ▁the ▁Parliament s ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁Queensland ▁and ▁Victoria , ▁many ▁of ▁whom ▁are ▁former ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Party . ▁In ▁fact ▁since ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Federal ▁election , ▁National ▁Party ▁candidates ▁received ▁fewer ▁first ▁preference ▁votes ▁than ▁the ▁Australian ▁Gre ens . ▁ ▁Dem ographic ▁changes ▁are ▁not ▁helping , ▁with ▁fewer ▁people ▁living ▁and ▁employed ▁on ▁the ▁land ▁or ▁in ▁small ▁towns , ▁the ▁continued ▁growth ▁of ▁the ▁larger ▁provincial ▁cent res , ▁and , ▁in ▁some ▁cases , ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁left - lean ing ▁" city ▁refuge es " ▁in ▁rural ▁areas . ▁The ▁Liber als ▁have ▁also ▁gained ▁support ▁as ▁the ▁differences ▁between ▁the ▁coal ition ▁partners ▁on ▁a ▁federal ▁level ▁have ▁become ▁invisible . ▁This ▁was ▁highlight ed ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁when ▁National s ▁Senator ▁Julian ▁McG aur an ▁defect ed ▁to ▁the ▁Liber als , ▁saying ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁" no ▁longer ▁any ▁real ▁distingu ishing ▁policy ▁or ▁philosoph ical ▁difference ". ▁ ▁In ▁Queensland , ▁National s ▁leader