Sussan Ley, the leader of the Liberal party, has successfully fended off a leadership challenge by proposing a plan aimed at mending the rift within the Coalition, with the Nationals now evaluating her suggestion.
Rumors swirled about Angus Taylor, a right-wing contender, potentially contesting Ley’s position, especially after a recent split within the Coalition over Labor’s controversial hate speech legislation, which occurred two weeks ago.
Following intense late-night discussions with David Littleproud, the head of the Nationals, on Monday, Ley dispatched a letter outlining three key conditions to unify the Coalition.
Among her demands was a six-month suspension for three senators—Ross Cadell, Bridget McKenzie, and Susan McDonald—who defied the shadow cabinet by voting against the party line.
Littleproud stated that the Nationals are weighing these “endeavours to reset the Coalition,” with positive talks continuing in private.
“We must ensure we take the necessary time to establish the right framework,” he emphasized in a public statement.
However, a Nationals source, requesting anonymity to speak freely, said the suggestion of agreeing to a suspension is untenable.
SBS News understands shadow cabinet solidarity, the issue that created the split, as well as the inability of the Liberal or National party rooms to reverse decisions made by the shadow cabinet, are also sticking points.
Ley hopes to have the matter resolved in the coming week before parliament resumes for the second sitting week.
Some in the Nationals party room also back a reunification. MP Darren Chester was set to use the party room meeting on Monday to move a motion to reinstate the Coalition.
“Every moment we spend talking about ourselves, is a free pass to a weak and divisive prime minister who has failed to keep his promises to lower energy bills and govern for all Australians,” he said on social media.
Ley’s offer came as her supporters — including legal affairs spokesperson Andrew Wallace — flanked her on either side on Tuesday morning ahead of the Liberal party room meeting.
Wallace, who was promoted following Andrew Hastie’s resignation from the frontbench last October, believes “Sussan has the numbers”.
“Sussan Ley has the support of the party room, I do not believe there is an active move against her,” he told Sky News on Tuesday.
Last May, Ley beat Taylor by only three votes — 29 to 25 — when the party room voted on who would replace Peter Dutton as Liberal Party leader following the Coalition’s heavy federal election defeat.
However, the retirement of two senators and the removal of Gisele Kapterian from the party room after she lost a recount in Bradfield means, in reality, the numbers are even tighter.
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