NATIONALS BRISBANE, Jan 24 AAP - New Queensland opposition leader Lawrence Springborg begins his "conversation with Queensland" on the Sunshine Coast today, despite facing opposition from senior Liberal Party members over a proposal to create a single conservative party in the state.

Mr Springborg was re-elected as Nationals leader in a party room vote on Monday, and vowed to spend the next 30 days listening to the concerns of Queenslanders in order to create a "credible alternative government".

He and Liberal leader Mark McArdle have also agreed in principle to support a merger of the Queensland Liberal and National parties to contest the 2009 Queensland election.

However they will require the backing of their party organisations, which will meet separately in the next fortnight to discuss the plan.

Former Howard government minister Senator George Brandis has dismissed the merger as an attempt by Mr Springborg "rebadge the National Party".

Queensland Liberal Senator Russell Trood is also against the move, saying it was a "self-serving call for amalgamation which would seem to envisage the disappearance of the Liberal Party from Queensland's electoral landscape".

Source: Australian Associated Press General News