the conservative parties were in opposition through most of the 1980s with labor yet to suffer from major fallout from the wa inc fiasco and the 1987 stock market crash. in 1989 liberal opposition leader barry mackinnon was pushing for the nationals to help block supply in the upper house to topple the dowding government. cowan refused to cooperate knowing that a small swing to the liberals in the coming election could see them (the liberals) gain as many as nine seats and an absolute majority in the assembly, thus weakening the nationals' position. in february the following year, cowan and the nationals had reversed their stance and decided to block supply in a bid to present themselves as a decisive and consistent conservative force.