lies ▁and ▁enemies ▁al ike . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁state ▁level , ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁under ▁Frank ▁Nick lin ▁and ▁Joh ▁B jel ke - P eters en ▁domin ated ▁govern ments ▁in ▁Queensland — the ▁last ▁six ▁of ▁those ▁years ▁r uling ▁in ▁its ▁own ▁right , ▁without ▁the ▁Liber als . ▁It ▁also ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁govern ments ▁in ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁Victoria , ▁and ▁Western ▁Australia . ▁ ▁However , ▁success ive ▁elect oral ▁red ist ribution s ▁after ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁indicated ▁that ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁was ▁losing ▁ground ▁elect or ally ▁to ▁the ▁Liber als ▁as ▁the ▁rural ▁population ▁decl ined , ▁and ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁some ▁parliament ary ▁seats ▁on ▁the ▁urban / r ural ▁fr inge ▁changed . ▁A ▁proposed ▁mer ger ▁with ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Labor ▁Party ▁( D LP ) ▁under ▁the ▁b anner ▁of ▁" National ▁Alliance " ▁was ▁rejected ▁when ▁it ▁failed ▁to ▁find ▁favour ▁with ▁vot ers ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁state ▁election . ▁ ▁Also ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁the ▁Northern ▁Territ ory ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁joined ▁with ▁its ▁Liberal ▁party ▁members ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁independent ▁Country ▁Liberal ▁Party . ▁This ▁party ▁continues ▁to ▁represent ▁both ▁parent ▁parties ▁in ▁that ▁territory . ▁A ▁separate ▁party , ▁the ▁Joh - in sp ired ▁N T ▁National s , ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁election ▁with ▁former