▁rural ▁population ▁level : ▁this , ▁couple d ▁with ▁the ▁Liber als ' ▁strength ▁in ▁country ▁areas ▁has ▁put ▁the ▁National s ▁under ▁significant ▁pressure . ▁ ▁Australian ▁Capital ▁Territ ory ▁The ▁National s ▁have ▁rarely ▁organ ised ▁or ▁stood ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁Capital ▁Territ ory . ▁Feder ally ▁their ▁only ▁candid atures ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁election ▁when ▁they ▁cont ested ▁both ▁constitu encies ▁and ▁secured ▁ 3 . 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁territory ▁vote . ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁David ▁Adams , ▁a ▁former ▁Liberal ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁House ▁of ▁Assembly , ▁head ed ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁three ▁candidates ▁for ▁the ▁National s . ▁They ▁received ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁votes ▁( 1 . 3 7 %) ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁get ▁any ▁members ▁elected . ▁The ▁party ▁has ▁not ▁stood ▁in ▁the ▁territory ▁since . ▁ ▁Northern ▁Territ ory ▁ ▁Political ▁role ▁The ▁National s ▁see ▁their ▁main ▁role ▁as ▁giving ▁a ▁voice ▁to ▁Austral ians ▁who ▁live ▁outside ▁the ▁country ' s ▁metropol itan ▁areas . ▁ ▁Trad itionally , ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁serves ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁when ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁is ▁in ▁government . ▁This ▁tradition ▁dates ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁office ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Party ' s ▁support ▁base ▁and ▁membership ▁are ▁closely ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁agricult ural ▁community . ▁Histor ically ▁anti - union ,