We’ve heard a lot from Senator Brandis about the proposed merger, and little from other senators. Ian MacDonald is one of the moderates in the Queensland Liberal Party, he’s also a long-time proponent of merger. This is the text of a letter that he sent to party members and supporters today.

TO MERGE OR NOT TO MERGE?
On the weekend, I sat through every hour of the two day Liberal Party Conference which principally dealt with the proposed merger in Queensland of the Liberal Party and the National Party.
My impressions were that the merger had very broad based support and goodwill from the Party Membership although, as always, the devil is in the detail. But I was surprised by the unanimity of the general approach.
As I remarked in my address to the Convention, in the last five or six Federal and State elections we have run to each election with one single leader, and one set of policies.
Some say that there are irreconcilable policy differences between the Liberals and the Nationals and cite the recent example of the Single Desk Wheat legislation. But already in the Liberal Party, there are very diametrically opposed views on this issue which will be accommodated. And as you know, in the Liberal Party members can cross the floor if they believe that the Party is heading in the wrong direction.
Many people currently in the Parliamentary Liberal Party have far more ‘right wing’ views, than many members of the current Parliamentary National Party. A number of prominent National Party members supported the Republican proposal, and indeed many National Party members have a more liberal view than many Liberals on some of the social conscience issues that have come before the Federal Parliament in recent years.
As Bob Menzies always said, the Liberal Party is a broad church and I believe the policy approaches of both parties can be accommodated in a single new entity.
Some people were concerned that the formation of a single party in Queensland would result in a rump rural Party, around Bob Katter, Tony Windsor and the old One Nation Party. In my view, that grouping is already in existence and the formation of a new Party will in no way exacerbate that situation.
There is a lot of work for both parties to do between now and the proposed Constitutional Convention at the end of July. It will require a great deal of good will and support from members of both parties to their leadership negotiating teams. But after the weekend, I am hopeful a sensible and mutually acceptable vision can be negotiated, that will, for the first time in a long time, put real pressure on the incompetent State Labor regime.
The principles and philosophies of fairness, justice, the individual, self reliance and mutual obligation that are so dear to all Liberals will continue in the new Party. I am confident no former National Party member would have any objection to these principles and philosophies