Inside the showdown meeting that split the Coalition
David Littleproud and Sussan Ley’s Albury meeting marked a turning point, as deep policy rifts led the Nationals to walk away from the Coalition agreement.
As David Littleproud drove to Albury to meet with new Liberal leader Sussan Ley on Thursday to negotiate a coalition agreement, one message from his party room echoed loudly: “No blinking”.
Fresh from fending off a leadership challenge from Queensland senator Matt Canavan, Littleproud needed to drive a hard bargain with Ley over contentious policies including nuclear energy, net zero and forced divestiture.
Ley, who was in Albury to care for her dying mother, faced a different imperative — avoiding any commitments that would further alienate metropolitan voters after the disastrous 3 May election result.
The two leaders were on a collision course. On Tuesday, soon after meeting Ley for the second time, Littleproud confirmed his party would rip up the Coalition agreement for the first time in 38 years.
