▁Liberal ▁Party , ▁their ▁traditional ▁coal ition ▁partner . ▁In ▁most ▁states , ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁agreement ▁is ▁not ▁in ▁force ▁when ▁the ▁parties ▁are ▁in ▁opposition , ▁allowing ▁the ▁two ▁parties ▁greater ▁freedom ▁of ▁action . ▁ ▁In ▁Queensland ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Liberal ▁National ▁Party ▁( L NP ) ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁The ▁L NP ▁led ▁by ▁Lawrence ▁Spring borg ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁lose ▁the ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁election ▁to ▁Anna ▁Bl igh ' s ▁Australian ▁Labor ▁Party . ▁However , ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁state ▁election , ▁the ▁L NP ▁defeated ▁the ▁Labor ▁Party ▁in ▁a ▁lands lide , ▁but ▁lost ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁lands lide ▁to ▁Labor , ▁also ▁losing ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁South ▁Australia ▁ ▁In ▁South ▁Australia , ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁National s ' ▁history , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁the ▁single ▁National s ▁member ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Assembly ▁entered ▁the ▁R ann ▁Labor ▁Government ▁as ▁a ▁Minister ▁forming ▁an ▁inform al ▁coal ition ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁parties . ▁Since ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁South ▁Australian ▁State ▁election , ▁the ▁National s ▁in ▁South ▁Australia ▁have ▁no ▁representative ▁in ▁either ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Assembly ▁or ▁the ▁Upper ▁House ▁or ▁at ▁a ▁Federal ▁level . ▁There ▁existed ▁a ▁distinct ly ▁different ▁Country ▁Party ▁in ▁South ▁Australia ▁which ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Federation