THE federal Nationals will stand alone from the Liberals on more and more policy issues and increasingly vote separately from them as the business relationship deteriorates in the wake of the Liberals' "anti-regional" boundary redistribution submission.
National party executives and MPs are furious the Liberal submission proposes the abolition of the southern NSW seat of Riverina, held by The Nationals' Kay Hull, be merged predominantly with the Liberal-held electorate of Hume, to make a new big southern seat known as "Bradman".
Labor and the Nationals both propose the abolition of a Sydney seat – Macarthur and Banks respectively.
But the Nationals are also unhappy about Labor's regional boundary suggestions, which proposes an expansion of the already huge Central West seat of Calare to cover 49.4 per cent of NSW.
The mood among National MPs is so sour towards their Coalition partner some have said privately that the Liberal boundaries proposal steels their resolve to not support the Liberals on key issues like emissions trading.
The Nationals, particularly in the Senate, have been visibly carving out their points of difference in the past six months on specific rural policy issues.
These include the wheat marketing legislation, Managed Investment Schemes and the future fund for telecommunications.
But most MPs say the two parties are not at the point of splitting.
The merger issue was put on ice last year following a national conference of the Nationals, despite recommendations from a review led by former Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, that the two conservative parties merge in order for the rural vote to survive.
Nationals leader, Warren Truss, says the Liberal proposal proves "only one party" has regional interests at its core.
"Last time, a regional seat was abolished. This time it should be a city seat, particularly given several are under quota," Mr Truss said.
"I am very disappointed that the Liberals would support a proposal to abolish a regional seat.
"It just proves that only The Nationals have their heart and soul in supporting regional communities."
Liberal leader, Malcolm Turnbull's office was not willing to comment on the issue.
But it's believed Nationals leader, Warren Truss, has told him in no uncertain terms just how angered the party is by the move.
A spokesman from Mr Turnbull's office says that from looking at the electoral map, Macquarie (which includes the Blue Mountains and Bathurst) would seem like a logical seat to abolish.
He says it's very difficult for the Liberals to suggest a seat in Sydney without affecting the quota or boundaries in key-Liberal held seats.
The Nationals' Federal director, Brad Henderson, says both the Liberal and Labor proposals worked from Sydney to the regions, rather than focusing on the regions and working back in towards Sydney.
"This strengthens our argument for the Nationals to maintain a separate role in parliament," Mr Henderson says.
"We have a business relationship in coalition with the Liberal Party, but we are definitely two separate parties.
"We are extremely disappointed by the Liberal proposal, but probably not all that surprised."
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