Following a what he described as a “brief meeting” with Liberal leader Sussan Ley in Canberra today, Nationals boss David Littleproud put plans to announce his frontbench on ice, with Ley doing the same with her shadow cabinet.
In a statement, Ley said her Nationals counterpart had agreed to join negotiations about re-joining the Coalition.
“Earlier today I wrote to, and met with, David, inviting him to re-enter good-faith negotiations,” she said.
“I am pleased he has accepted.”
Littleproud said he had sent his prospective ministerial spokespeople home while the Liberals hold a party room meeting to discuss the Nationals’ four policy demands that led to Tuesday’s split between the long-time political allies.
“I made it clear that I’m prepared to pause my announcement today as a sign of good faith,” Littleproud said.
“Sussan has made a sign of good faith, not going forward with a shadow cabinet announcement, and to allow her time to have a party room,” he said.
Both announcements were expected today and were likely to entrench the split between the parties until the next federal election, as a subsequent reconciliation would have forced Ley to demote Liberal MPs from the shadow ministry, which would equate to a pay cut.
Littleproud on Tuesday said four policy positions were behind the Nationals party room’s decision to walk away from the Coalition: nuclear energy, a regional future fund, supermarket divestiture and regional mobile coverage.
While today’s thawing in relations between the Nationals and Liberals could lead to a reconvened Coalition, Littleproud said his party would need firm commitments on those policies to rejoin the official opposition.
“I have people in my party room who are prepared to take a pay cut because we believe in this,” Littleproud said.
“We’re not doing this for show. We’re doing this because we are convinced about the people that we represent.”
Ley said a commitment from Littleproud to shadow cabinet solidarity was crucial to kickstarting talks about reconvening the Coalition.
“This is the first time this commitment has been made and I welcome it as a foundation to resolve other matters,” she said.
“In relation to the policy positions proposed by the National party room, consistent with my consultation commitment, the Liberal Party will consider these, utilising our party room processes,” she added.
“It has always been the Liberal Party’s objective to form a Coalition and we welcome the Nationals’ decision to re-enter negotiations.”