Liberals and Nationals have reunited as the Coalition after a 17-day split

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud have reunited the Coalition after an 17-day split following public disagreements over the principles of cabinet solidarity and a mass resignation of the Nationals from the frontbench.

The leaders are holding a joint press conference at 12:30pm (AEDT) at Parliament House, following reports that concessions over the long-term sidelining of three Nationals frontbenchers had been made by Littleproud.

A statement released by Ley’s office spelt out the terms:

● For a cumulative six-week period, all Nationals’ parliamentarians (including Senators) will have served outside shadow ministerial portfolios.
● Each shadow minister will return to their previously-held roles on 1 March 2026, at which point existing acting shadow ministerial portfolio arrangements announced on 30 January 2026 end.
● To ensure joint representation and accountability in decision-making during this interim period, the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Nationals will attend meetings of the Leadership Group, Shadow Cabinet and Shadow Economic Review Committee.
● Coalition internal processes will be strengthened, including all Shadow Ministers signing agreement to Shadow Cabinet solidarity, the introduction of a Shadow Cabinet ‘decisions register’, codification that neither individual party is able to overturn decisions of the Shadow Cabinet and enshrining the primacy of the Joint Party Room.

The National Party left the Coalition on January 22 – for the second time in nine months – after three Nationals frontbenchers breached convention to vote against the Liberals on hate crime legislation addressing antisemitism after the Bondi shooting.

Negotiations appeared to be stalling after the leaders could not agree on a demand from Ley that the three rebels would be suspended from the frontbench for six months should the Coalition reunite, a proposal Littleproud was against because the Nationals argue the trio did nothing wrong.

On Friday morning, Littleproud offered a concession, suggesting the three frontbenchers, along with all Nationals, serve a collective six-week suspension before re-entering the frontbench in March. Ley’s allies and Liberal moderates baulked at the request, but Ley faced pressure from right faction leaders Angus Taylor and James Paterson, among others, who wanted to take the deal.

Speaking earlier on Sunday, Littleproud said: “We’ve been respectful all the way through this. We’ve acted with integrity. The reality is, we made it very clear from the start that if our three shadow ministers that crossed the floor were reinstated, then the Coalition could come back together”.

“We’ve got to make sure we lay the foundation stones, that there’s respect and trust and integrity in that system, and that’s what the National Party has been prepared to sign up to, and will sign up to, if we get that right, if our three [frontbench senators] are reinstated.”

Ley has been under pressure within the party with rife speculation on Friday and Saturday that Taylor would resign from the frontbench next week to create a leadership spill should Ley cement the split and announce a Liberal-only frontbench on Sunday, which she had been tipped to do.

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