, ▁who ▁won ▁a ▁leadership ▁sp ill ▁following ▁Bar nab y ▁Joy ce ' s ▁res ignation ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁The ▁most ▁recent ▁deput y ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁National s , ▁from ▁ 7 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁until ▁her ▁res ignation ▁due ▁to ▁acting ▁with ▁a ▁conflict ▁of ▁interest ▁on ▁ 2 ▁February ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁was ▁Br idget ▁McK en zie . ▁ ▁History ▁▁▁▁ ▁The ▁Country ▁Party ▁was ▁formally ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia , ▁and ▁nation ally ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁from ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁state - based ▁parties ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Farm ers ' ▁Union ▁( VF U ) ▁and ▁the ▁Farm ers ▁and ▁S ett lers ▁Party ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁Australia ' s ▁first ▁Country ▁Party ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁by ▁Harry ▁J . ▁Steph ens , ▁editor ▁of ▁The ▁Far mer ▁& ▁S ett ler , ▁but , ▁under ▁fier ce ▁opposition ▁from ▁rival ▁newsp apers , ▁failed ▁to ▁gain ▁momentum . ▁ ▁The ▁V F U ▁won ▁a ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁at ▁the ▁Cor ang am ite ▁by - e lection ▁held ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁introduced ▁prefer ential ▁voting ▁system . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁federal ▁election ▁the ▁state - based ▁Country ▁Part ies ▁won ▁federal ▁seats ▁in ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁Victoria