Nationals leader David Littleproud and Liberal leader Sussan Ley may have announced a breakthrough in efforts to revive the Coalition, but even if successful, this week’s spat won’t be forgotten easily by either party in the coming years.
As talks continue on reunification, Ley is unable to announce her frontbench until the Liberals settle on the Nationals’ four policy demands, saving her the embarrassment of having to dump Liberal shadow ministers if an agreement is reached later.
Whatever the outcome, damage has been done — and it will prove entirely self-inflicted. Parliament does not return for months, so the decision by the pair to set an imminent, unnamed deadline for a deal has brought the matter to a head unnecessarily.
While both sides are publicly magnanimous, Littleproud going nuclear on Tuesday set off 48 hours of brutal recriminations that played out in full view.
