SYDNEY—Federal Opposition health spokesman Joe Hockey says the National Party has lost its "unique association" with farming communities, bolstering the case for a merger with the Liberal Party.
Mr Hockey also said today he was a strong supporter of a merged liberal conservative party, which would show Australian voters the federal opposition had its house in order.
"I strongly support it," Mr Hockey told Fairfax Radio Network about the proposal for a Liberal/National party merger.
"The National Party used to be the Country Party, and that was during a time of protection when Australian industry was fighting against the rest of the world in what was a heavily controlled international trading market, and when the farmers needed a strong sole voice," he said.
"Today, because the Nats have become the National Party rather than the Country Party ... they now have lost their unique identification with the country.
"I'm not saying they don't represent them (farmers) and represent them very well, but I think they have lost the unique association with the farming community."
Mr Hockey said Australian voters wanted "a clearer, more identifiable" political party to represent liberal conservative interests "and not just a sectoral interest".
A merger would also end damaging campaign situations like that which occurred in northern Queensland at the last federal election, when Nationals campaigners were opposed to handing out Liberal Party how-to-vote cards, Mr Hockey said.
"That cost us, in many ways, the seat. It's crazy stuff," he said.
Mr Hockey said party figures were now engaged in "a lot of detailed discussion" on the merger.
"I think Australians want an organised competitive opposition that is ready to take government, we are the first to recognise that we have to get our house in order."