Coalition break-up on hold after Liberal concessions

David Littleproud has confirmed the Coalition could be getting back together just days after the Liberals and Nationals broke up.

David Littleproud and Sussan Ley have confirmed the Coalition’s shock split is on pause following last-minute talks.

Both the Nationals leader and his Liberal Party counterpart were poised to announce their portfolio spokespeople on Thursday – a step that would have entrenched the break-up.

But Mr Littleproud said he would hold off after Ms Ley agreed to reconvene the Liberal Party room and revisit guaranteeing four key National Party policies that blew the 80-year relationship apart.

“This morning we brought together the shadow spokespeople of the National Party into the next parliament, and we had a very productive meeting about planning the way forward for the National Party in being another opposition party in this next parliament,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“During that period, I had a brief meeting with Sussan Ley and she made an offer to reconvene her party room to discuss the four policy areas that the National Party demand as part of a Coalition agreement.

“And I thank her for that, and as a consequence, I have decided to send those spokespeople home as a sign of good faith.

“And Sussan, as a sign of good faith, will not be announcing a shadow cabinet. This is a positive step forward.”

The Coalition’s split is on hold after Nationals leader David Littleproud and Liberal leader Sussan Ley held last minute talks. Picture: Martin Ollman / NewsWire

The four policies the Nationals would not budge on in negotiations included divestiture powers for supermarkets, nuclear power, its proposed regional Australia fund and greater telecommunications coverage.

It clashed with Ms Ley’s vision of a “nothing adopted and nothing abandoned” approach to reviewing policies in the wake of the Coalition’s decimation at the federal election.

Although, the Nationals have stressed it was the Liberal Party vote that collapsed, not theirs.

Ms Ley on Thursday also said the two leaders made ground.

Ms Ley has confirmed she will hold off announcing her shadow cabinet. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Earlier today I wrote to, and met with, David inviting him to re-enter good-faith negotiations. I am pleased he has accepted,” she said in a statement.

“In relation to the policy positions proposed by the Nationals party room, consistent with my consultation commitment, the Liberal Party will consider these, utilising our party room processes.

“It has always been the Liberal Party’s objective to form a Coalition and we welcome the Nationals’ decision to re-enter negotiations.”

Mr Ley also confirmed she would hold off announcing her shadow ministry.

At reporting, it was unclear when she would reconvene the Liberal Party room.

‘Good faith’

Mr Littleproud insisted that while he and Ms Ley had acted in “good faith”, it was not a guarantee the Coalition parties were getting back together.

He said it was a “tough decision” to walk away from the Liberals earlier this week – only the fourth time the Coalition has been breached in its history.

He stressed that the four policies at the core of the split “are important to the lives and livelihoods of the people that I represent” and that his party would again walk away over the issue.

“They need to be able to make these judgments themselves, as I brought my team together,” Mr Littleproud said.

“And I didn’t make a unilateral decision to leave the Coalition, it was one of the collective.

“And I’m presuming that that is the process of the Liberal Party and I respect that.

“And I think that the best thing that I can do is allow that to happen.”

Mr Littleproud says he and Ms Ley are acting in ‘good faith’ but getting back together is not a guarantee. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

He said the Nationals “want a Coalition but these are principles that are dear to our people”.

“And I welcome this as a sign of good faith, and that’s why I’m reciprocating this that I’m pausing us moving forward as a Nationals Party alone, because I would prefer to be in a Coalition,” Mr Littleproud said.

The Coalition’s collapse has played out against a backdrop of post-election tensions.

Labor’s landslide federal election victory obliterated the Liberals, with the red wave sweeping up several senior Liberal MPs, including Peter Dutton.

Meanwhile, the Nationals vote largely held.

James Paterson has publicly confirmed the Nationals’ suspicions that the Liberals were plotting to poach Jacinta Nampijinpa Price during the election.

In fact, the Liberal senator admitted he had been “trying to recruit Jacinta to Liberal Party for 10 years”.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s defection to the Liberal party room has been a key source of tension in the Coalition. Picture: Thomas Lisson / NewsWire

A letter from Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie to Liberal counterpart Michaelia Cash put Senator Price at the centre of the Coalition’s problems.

The letter, first reported by news.com.au, warned the National Party would need to reconsider its relationship with the senior partner.

“Depending on the outcome of negotiations between our two parties over coming weeks, the Nationals Senate Party room will need to consider our position with respect to sitting with the Liberal Party as Coalition in the Senate chamber,’’ Senator McKenzie wrote.

Senator Price’s shock defection to the Liberal Party room came on top of revelations the senior party did not consult their Nationals colleagues on key policies before announcing them.

Backchannels

Barnaby Joyce was among several senior Nationals Ms Ley reached out to in a bid to save the Coalition.

The former party leader said on Thursday it was “less than the desirable to the Australian people” if the Nationals and Liberals could not hold the Albanese government to account as an opposition.

Ms Ley reached out to former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce in a bid to save the Coalition. Picture: NewsWire/ Richard Gosling

Mr Joyce told Sky News he hoped “things get resolved” but that it “seems to be a bit of a bouncing ball”.

“But why would you why would you hope for a less, a less than effective capacity to hold the government to account, and, to be quite frank, chaos?” he said.

“I’ve certainly have kept the kept the communication lines open within the Liberal Party.”

He added both sides have “got to make sure we give all our endeavours to sorting this out”.

NewsWire understands Ms Ley also approached former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack, Darren Chester and Sam Birrell.