▁Chief ▁Minister ▁Ian ▁T ux worth ▁winning ▁his ▁seat ▁of ▁B ark ly ▁by ▁a ▁small ▁margin . ▁However , ▁this ▁spl inter ▁group ▁were ▁not ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁the ▁national ▁executive ▁and ▁soon ▁disappeared ▁from ▁the ▁political ▁scene . ▁ ▁National ▁Country ▁Party ▁and ▁National ▁Party ▁▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Party ▁was ▁confront ed ▁by ▁the ▁impact ▁of ▁dem ographic ▁sh ifts ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s : ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Sydney ▁and ▁surr ounds ▁grew ▁by ▁ 3 4 %, ▁with ▁even ▁larger ▁growth ▁in ▁coast al ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁while ▁more ▁remote ▁rural ▁areas ▁grew ▁by ▁a ▁mere ▁ 1 3 %, ▁further ▁dimin ishing ▁the ▁National ▁Party ' s ▁base . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁at ▁the ▁federal ▁convention ▁in ▁Can ber ra , ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁changed ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Country ▁Party ▁of ▁Australia ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁strategy ▁to ▁expand ▁into ▁urban ▁areas . ▁This ▁had ▁some ▁success ▁in ▁Queensland ▁under ▁Joh ▁B jel ke - P eters en , ▁but ▁now here ▁else . ▁The ▁party ▁briefly ▁walked ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁coal ition ▁agreement ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁returning ▁within ▁the ▁month . ▁However , ▁the ▁party ▁split ▁in ▁two ▁over ▁the ▁decision ▁and ▁other ▁factors ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁National ▁Party ▁forming ▁and ▁becoming ▁independent , ▁holding