LNP leader Tim Nicholls would have been premier of Queensland by now if the Liberal and National Parties had remained separate entities in the sunshine state, former senator Ron Boswell says.

The National Party stalwart said there should be a "very strong debate" about whether the party should split.

Queensland Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls speaks at the LNP election function on Saturday night. Credit:Tracey Nearmy

"I think Tim Nicholls would have been premier of Queensland now if you had two parties working together, one trying to pick up the bush vote and Tim Nicholls campaigning for the vote in the south-east corner," he told ABC radio on Wednesday.