Qld Liberal and National to merge

The Liberal and National parties in Queensland have agreed to merge, pending a vote of Liberal Party members in coming weeks.

The parties have proposed fighting the next state election - due in 18 months' time - under the name the Liberal National Party of Queensland.

The new party will be led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg with Liberal Party leader Marc McArdle as his deputy.

Liberal Party president Gary Spence and his national counterpart Bruce McIver announced the breakthrough in negotiations at Queensland Parliament House on Saturday.

Mr Spence said he expected the liberal Party membership to support the proposal which was first put on the table by Mr Springborg four years ago.

National members have already voted to support the idea.

Results from the Liberal plebiscite are due by the end of June ahead of a proposed joint party convention on July 26 and 27.

If all goes according to plan, the new party will be launched on July 27.

Mr Spence said there was little choice but to merge if the conservative parties wanted to defeat the Bligh Labor government.

"The people of Queensland have been screaming out for a viable alternative to the Beattie and Bligh governments; they go from one crisis to another, one scandal to another," Mr Spence said.

"If we are able to give them a viable alternative, as I'm sure we will be able to do, then I'm sure the people of Queensland will get on board."

Both parties have informed their federal colleagues of the breakthrough.

The new party will be a division of the federal Liberal Party and an affiliate of the federal Nationals.