▁at ▁a ▁State ▁level ▁in ▁Victoria ▁until ▁their ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁election . ▁Following ▁the ▁election , ▁the ▁ABC ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁coal ition ▁parties ▁would ▁" review " ▁whether ▁to ▁continue ▁their ▁joint ▁working ▁arrangement ▁into ▁opposition . ▁However , ▁both ▁out going ▁National s ▁leader ▁Peter ▁Ryan ▁and ▁incoming ▁Liberal ▁leader ▁Matthew ▁Guy ▁indicated ▁they ▁felt ▁the ▁coal ition ▁should ▁continue . ▁ ▁Western ▁Australia ▁ ▁Western ▁Australia ' s ▁National ▁Party ▁chose ▁to ▁assert ▁its ▁independence ▁after ▁an ▁ac rim on ious ▁co - hab itation ▁with ▁the ▁Liber als ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁campaign ▁trail . ▁Un like ▁its ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁and ▁Queensland ▁counter parts , ▁the ▁W A ▁party ▁had ▁decided ▁to ▁opp ose ▁Liberal ▁candidates ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁election . ▁The ▁party ▁aim ed ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁balance ▁of ▁power ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁" as ▁an ▁independent ▁conserv ative ▁party " ▁ready ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁with ▁the ▁Liber als ▁or ▁Labor ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁minor ity ▁government . ▁After ▁the ▁election , ▁the ▁National s ▁negoti ated ▁an ▁agreement ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁government ▁with ▁the ▁Liber als ▁and ▁an ▁independent ▁MP , ▁though ▁not ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁" trad itional ▁coal ition " ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁reduced ▁cabinet ▁collect ive ▁responsibility ▁of ▁National ▁cabinet ▁members . ▁ ▁Western ▁Australia ' s ▁one - vote - one - value ▁re forms ▁will ▁cut ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁rural ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁assembly ▁to ▁reflect ▁the