Noalition no more: Liberal and Nationals enter peace talks

The Coalition’s break-up has been paused just 48 hours after Nationals’ leader David Littleproud’s shock announcement, as the party pledges to revisit negotiations with new Liberal leader Sussan Ley.

The leaders brokered peace talks in Canberra on Thursday, putting their respective shadow ministry announcements on ice and making concessions which could see them reunify.

It follows a turbulent period marked by messy media appearances, internal leaks and political sledging after Mr Littleproud made the call for the Nationals to walk away from the 38-year partnership on Tuesday.

He claimed the split was motivated by a lack of guarantee over four policies - nuclear energy, a regional Australia future fund, supermarket divestiture and regional telephone service obligations.

Ms Ley had refused to make preliminary assurances before a full review of the Coalition’s disastrous election loss along with all policies, was conducted.

She also accused the Nationals of walking away because they did not want to uphold shadow Cabinet solidarity - the long-held expectation that all members publicly support and uphold collective decisions.

The breakthrough came after Mr Littleproud made public statements during this morning’s media appearances that he would respect the solidarity pact in a Coalition agreement if the key policies were met.

Ms Ley is understood to have extended an olive branch to Mr Littleproud, before a midday press conference, where flanked by his leadership team, Mr Littleproud told media the Coalition split was on ice.

“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 demanded as part of a Coalition agreement,” he said.

“This is a positive step forward”.

The breakthrough came just hours before Ms Ley was set to announce her Liberal-only shadow cabinet. It’s understood that the DOGE-like “government effectiveness” portfolio that was tipped to go to Ms Price in a Dutton-led government will be scrapped in favour of a more ”positive” role.

Ms Ley issued a statement on Thursday welcoming “the Nationals’ decision to re-enter negotiations” and Mr Littleproud’s public commitment of Shadow Cabinet solidarity.

Despite Mr Littleproud saying he didn’t think there was any damage done by the tumultuous two-day stretch, frantic backroom negotiations are now underway to try to repair the fractured partnership.

Temperatures rose between the two parties after Ms Ley’s office accused Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie of making false claims that cabinet solidarity wasn’t a sticking point in the break, live on ABC’s 7.30 program on Wednesday night.

Senator McKenzie said “it was solely on those four policies” while Ms Ley’s office said they had “in writing” that breaching solidarity was one of the Nationals’ ultimatums.

A letter was then leaked on Thursday which showed Ms McKenzie had first raised the prospect of the Nationals walking away from the Coalition after the defection of Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Price from the Nationals party room to that of the Liberals. Her departure was revealed days before the Nationals announced their decision.

It comes after a sway of former and current MPs and Senators expressed their concern over the fracture after the diabolical election loss on May 3.

Nationals former leader Barnaby Joyce has described the splitting and now potentially making up relationship of the Coalition as a “bit of a bouncing ball” but ultimately hoped issues holding them apart “get resolved”. Former Liberal PMs John Howard and Tony Abbott urged for a swift reconciliation.

Mr Howard warned prolonged division could make reunification more challenging, while Mr Abbott told parties to “get over the electoral PTSD” and urgently reform the Coalition.

Despite the mess, Mr Littleproud has insisted he respected Ms Ley’s circumstances after her mother died across the weekend.

Nationals MP Michelle Landry said on Thursday her understanding was Ms Ley was “quite comfortable” to continue negotiations.

“From what I understand, Sussan, you know, was quite comfortable in having those meetings and those discussions with our leadership team,” she said.

Ms Ley’s mother’s funeral will be held next Friday.