A merger of the Liberal and National political parties in Australia, has been used in a coalition federally between 1996 and 2007 and now from 2013 as a result of the 2013 Federal Election. There is currently one formal coalition government in New South Wales (as well as informally in Western Australia). There has been an ongoing debate for decades due to the demise of the National vote. It is argued that the decline in the vote is due to the decline in the rural population as well as National Party policies becoming increasingly indistinguishable from Liberal Party policies. Such a merger would also likely see the involvement of the Country Liberal Party, given that it is affiliated with both parties. In July 2008 the majority Nationals and minority Liberals in state politics in Queensland merged to become the Liberal National Party of Queensland, led by Lawrence Springborg.