National News
Littleproud and Ley Continuing Conflicts on Dissolved Coalition Rearrangements
The Nationals Party is currently drafting a response to Sussan Ley’s offer to reinstate the Coalition, which comes with the explicit condition that the three Nationals senators who crossed the floor are to remain off the shadow frontbench for six months, which is a move Ley describes as necessary to preserve shadow cabinet solidarity.
Littleproud had previously insisted that his senators’ reinstatement to the shadow cabinet was a precondition for any new agreement following the Coalition’s second split in under a year. However, as negotiations continue behind closed doors, he has signaled on 5th February that he will not “rule anything in or out” as his party room formulates a counteroffer.
Both leaders remain publicly committed to talks, even as internal tensions simmer with some Nationals uneasy about the suspension condition and some Liberals contemplating a Liberal-only frontbench should the Coalition remain unworkable.