ot ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁following ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁former ▁leader ▁and ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Warren ▁Tr uss . ▁Joy ce ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁five ▁polit icians ▁dis qual ified ▁from ▁parliament ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁for ▁holding ▁dual ▁citizens hip , ▁along ▁with ▁former ▁deput y ▁leader , ▁F iona ▁Nash . ▁ ▁Liberal / National ▁mer ger ▁ ▁Mer ger ▁plans ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁head ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁when ▁the ▁Queensland ▁state ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁gave ▁an ▁announ cement ▁not ▁to ▁wait ▁for ▁a ▁federal ▁blue print ▁but ▁instead ▁to ▁merge ▁immediately . ▁The ▁new ▁party , ▁the ▁Liberal ▁National ▁Party , ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁Historical ▁elect oral ▁results ▁ ▁Le ad ership ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁leaders ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁deput y ▁leaders ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁Senate ▁leaders ▁The ▁Country ▁Party ' s ▁first ▁sen ators ▁began ▁their ▁terms ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁but ▁the ▁party ▁had ▁no ▁official ▁leader ▁in ▁the ▁upper ▁chamber ▁until ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁Instead , ▁the ▁party ▁nominated ▁a ▁" re present ative " ▁or ▁" lia ison ▁officer " ▁where ▁necessary ▁– ▁usually ▁William ▁Car roll . ▁This ▁was ▁so ▁that ▁its ▁members ▁" w ere ▁first ▁and ▁for em ost ▁represent atives ▁of ▁their ▁states , ▁able ▁to ▁enjoy ▁complete ▁freedom ▁of ▁action ▁and ▁speech ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁and ▁not ▁beh old en ▁to