▁Wales , ▁and ▁to ▁an ▁extent ▁in ▁Victoria ▁and ▁histor ically ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia , ▁it ▁has ▁in ▁government ▁been ▁the ▁minor ▁party ▁in ▁a ▁centre - right ▁Co al ition ▁with ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁of ▁Australia , ▁and ▁its ▁leader ▁has ▁usually ▁served ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister . ▁In ▁O pp osition ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁was ▁usually ▁maintained , ▁but ▁otherwise ▁still ▁generally ▁continued ▁to ▁work ▁in ▁co - operation ▁with ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁of ▁Australia ▁( and ▁their ▁prede cess ors ▁the ▁National ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Australia ▁and ▁United ▁Australia ▁Party ). ▁In ▁Queensland ▁however , ▁they ▁were ▁the ▁senior ▁coal ition ▁party ▁between ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁after ▁which ▁they ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁junior ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁of ▁Australia ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Liberal ▁National ▁Party ▁( L NP ). ▁Despite ▁taking ▁a ▁conserv ative ▁position ▁polit ically , ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁has ▁long ▁purs ued ▁agr arian ▁social ist ▁economic ▁policies . ▁Ens uring ▁support ▁for ▁far mers ▁either ▁through ▁government ▁gr ants ▁and ▁subs id ies ▁or ▁through ▁community ▁appe als ▁is ▁a ▁major ▁focus ▁of ▁National ▁Party ▁policy . ▁The ▁unusual ▁hy brid ▁of ▁w elf are ▁and ▁free ▁market ▁att itudes ▁that ▁character ise ▁the ▁party ▁has ▁led ▁to ▁it ▁being ▁often ▁accused ▁of ▁seeking ▁to ▁priv at ise ▁prof its ▁and ▁social ise ▁costs ▁for ▁the ▁agricult ural ▁and ▁min ing ▁se ctors . ▁▁ ▁The ▁current ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁is ▁Michael ▁McC orm ack