David Littleproud survives leadership challenge, faces pressure to reunify the Coalition
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The news: National leader David Littleproud has defeated an attempt by backbencher Colin Boyce to topple his leadership, with the incumbent set to meet Liberal counterpart Sussan Ley to discuss a Coalition reunification.
The context: Boyce revealed last week that he would challenge Littleproud for the Nationals leadership, criticising his decision to blow up the former Coalition over Labor’s hate speech laws this month.
In a party room meeting on Monday afternoon, Nationals MPs voted against a spill motion, meaning Littleproud will remain leader.
Boyce has provided mixed signals on whether he would be open to defecting to One Nation, but ruled that out this week.
Littleproud will meet with Ley on Monday evening, with the pair to discuss the possibility of a second Coalition reunification within nine months.
After the spill was resolved, Nationals MP Darren Chester moved a motion urging the party to reunify the Coalition “as a matter of urgency”. In a statement before the meeting, Chester said he supported Littleproud’s leadership but wanted his team to “negotiate in good faith with the Liberal Party”.
Earlier, Liberal frontbencher Alex Hawke — a key Ley backer — warned Littleproud risked “the biggest own goal in centre-right Australian politics of our entire history” if he allowed the split to become permanent.
“We are urging him not to do that,” Hawke told Sky News.
On Friday, Ley unveiled a temporary Liberal-only frontbench made up of pre-existing shadow ministers who assumed extra responsibilities.
Effectively giving Littleproud a week-long timeframe to reunite, Ley said she aimed to appoint permanent replacements for former Nationals frontbenchers next week.
What they said: “We are saying to the Nationals: ‘Don’t score this own goal. You’ve got the ball, you’ve turned around, you’re aiming at the goal, pull away, kick it to the side, get back with us, and let’s not let this happen’,” Hawke told Sky News.
The source: Sky News
