▁seized ▁on ▁this , ▁arg uing ▁that ▁this ▁proved ▁a ▁Co al ition ▁government ▁would ▁only ▁surv ive ▁with ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁One ▁Nation ▁and ▁former ▁One ▁Nation ▁MP s . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁election , ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁saw ▁its ▁seat ▁count ▁more ▁than ▁hal ved , ▁to ▁ 1 7 ▁seats . ▁ ▁Not ably , ▁it ▁lost ▁all ▁but ▁one ▁seat ▁in ▁Br is b ane . ▁Am id ▁this ▁severe ▁defeat , ▁Bor b idge ▁created ▁controvers y ▁when ▁he ▁immediately ▁res igned ▁from ▁parliament , ▁forcing ▁a ▁by - e lection ▁in ▁Sur fers ▁Parad ise . ▁ ▁The ▁National s ▁felt ▁the ▁br unt ▁of ▁vot er ▁back l ash ▁at ▁going ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁pol ls ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁time ▁in ▁three ▁months ; ▁their ▁primary ▁vote ▁col lapsed ▁to ▁eight ▁percent , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁independent ▁member ▁Lex ▁Bell ▁in ▁the ▁tradition ally ▁safe ▁National ▁seat . ▁ ▁As ▁National ▁Party ▁leader , ▁Bor b idge ▁led ▁his ▁party ▁either ▁on ▁its ▁own ▁or ▁in ▁coal ition ▁with ▁the ▁Liber als ▁to ▁four ▁elections ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁win ▁any ▁of ▁them ▁and ▁only ▁became ▁Premier ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁as ▁the ▁direct ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁M und ing bur ra ▁by - e lection . ▁He ▁was ▁premier ▁for ▁only ▁two ▁of ▁his ▁nine ▁years ▁as ▁National ▁Party ▁leader . ▁ ▁Post - pre mi ership ▁Bor b idge ▁was ▁featured ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 3 ▁April