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Malcolm Turnbull accuses ‘stupid’ Nationals of ‘holding a gun’ to Liberal party’s head with Coalition split Liberals agree to in-principle policy deal with Nationals, paving way for Coalition to reunite
(about 2 hours later)
MPs pushing behind the scenes for parties to mend the rift acknowledge ‘really messy’ week as regional areas battle floods and drought Senior Liberals ‘uncomfortable’ with precedent set in negotiations, as Turnbull accuses Nationals of ‘holding a gun to the Liberal party’s head’
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The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has accused the Nationals of “holding a gun to the Liberal party’s head” over the threat to split the Coalition this week, claiming the rural party been “stupid” in its actions. The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, is slated to announce a frontbench line up next week after reconciliation talks with the National party led to an in-principle policy deal on Friday.
The Nationals MP Darren Chester, who was among a band of MPs pushing behind the scenes for the Coalition to mend its rift, acknowledged it was “frustrating” for the opposition to be bickering among themselves as regional and rural areas battled floods and droughts, and urged colleagues to get on with the job. The in-principle deal extends to a new policy to lift the Howard-era moratorium on nuclear power in Australia, but stops short of Peter Dutton’s commitment for the federal government to build and run state-owned reactors – an outcome that David Littleproud, the Nationals leader, on Thursday indicated could be enough to satisfy the party.
“Much of the mid coast, the Central Coast and north coast of New South Wales is facing devastating floods including loss of life,” he said on ABC television. “And close to home in Victoria central and western Victoria and northern Victoria right through South Australia there’s a devastating drought. The Liberals also acceded to a tougher crackdown on supermarkets and other “big box” retailers found to be abusing their market share, an interventionist approach which was opposed by some Liberal MPs.
Crisis talks with Liberal MPs on Friday afternoon resulted in Ley being authorised by her party room to hold further negotiations with Littleproud in the coming days, after agreement was reached on four key policy demands from the junior Coalition partner.
It came after the former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull accused the Nationals of “holding a gun to the Liberal party’s head” over the threat to split the Coalition this week, claiming the rural party been “stupid” in its actions. Nationals MPs including Darren Chester and Michael McCormack again publicly urged a resolution of the conflict.
Senior Liberal sources told Guardian Australia the breakthrough was welcomed, days after the Nationals said they were walking away from a formal Coalition for the first time since the 1980s. One senior Liberal said they were “uncomfortable” with the precedent set by the Nationals in the broken down negotiations, and said they believed it was “unusual” that the Nationals were setting these demands in the Coalition agreement.
Chester, who was among a band of MPs pushing behind the scenes for the Coalition to mend its rift, acknowledged it was “frustrating” for the opposition to be bickering among themselves as regional and rural areas battled floods and droughts, and urged colleagues to get on with the job.
“Much of the mid coast, the Central Coast and north coast of New South Wales is facing devastating floods including loss of life,” he said on ABC television. “And close to home in Victoria, central and western Victoria and northern Victoria right through South Australia, there’s a devastating drought.
“There are bigger issues facing rural and regional Australians than the makeup of the Coalition.”“There are bigger issues facing rural and regional Australians than the makeup of the Coalition.”
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As the fallout from the Liberal and National argument continues in the lead-up to the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, convening her party room to discuss David Littleproud’s policy demands, more Coalition figures are criticising the ugly standoff. As the fallout from the Liberal and National argument continues, more Coalition figures on Friday criticised the ugly standoff.
The senior Nationals MP Michael McCormack, a former party leader and deputy prime minister, admitted that the week had been “really messy”. McCormack, the senior Nationals MP and former party leader, admitted that the week had been “really messy”.
“For people on the outside looking in, they just wonder what the hell is going on,” he said.“For people on the outside looking in, they just wonder what the hell is going on,” he said.
The Liberals were due to meet again on Friday, expected to sign off on a compromise position on Littleproud’s four policy demands: support for nuclear power, a $20bn regional future fund, breakup powers for supermarkets and minimum standards for regional mobile and internet access.
The Liberals could agree to lifting the moratorium on nuclear power, rather than committing to state-funded and government-owned reactors – which Littleproud on Thursday indicated could be enough to satisfy the Nationals.
McCormack, also among those in the Coalition seeking to reunite the two parties, said he was “very close” to Ley and urged a resolution.McCormack, also among those in the Coalition seeking to reunite the two parties, said he was “very close” to Ley and urged a resolution.
“The Nationals walked away from the Liberals and Sussan was the newly anointed Liberal leader,” he told ABC radio on Friday. “It’s important that I did talk to her to try and get things patched up.”“The Nationals walked away from the Liberals and Sussan was the newly anointed Liberal leader,” he told ABC radio on Friday. “It’s important that I did talk to her to try and get things patched up.”
But Turnbull, a former Liberal leader, said he was uncomfortable with how the week had played out.But Turnbull, a former Liberal leader, said he was uncomfortable with how the week had played out.
“I think this holding a gun to the Liberal party’s head, which is what the Nats are doing, is really, really, really unwise,” he told the ABC’s Insiders podcast.“I think this holding a gun to the Liberal party’s head, which is what the Nats are doing, is really, really, really unwise,” he told the ABC’s Insiders podcast.
“It’s stupid politically, because if Sussan Ley agrees to it, then people will say, ‘There you go again, the tail’s wagging the dog. The Liberals are doing the Nationals’ bidding.’”“It’s stupid politically, because if Sussan Ley agrees to it, then people will say, ‘There you go again, the tail’s wagging the dog. The Liberals are doing the Nationals’ bidding.’”
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Turnbull himself faced numerous standoffs with maverick Nationals MPs during his leadership, including a bitter falling out with his deputy PM Barnaby Joyce over Joyce’s relationship with a former staff member, and the backbencher George Christensen’s threats to quit the Coalition.Turnbull himself faced numerous standoffs with maverick Nationals MPs during his leadership, including a bitter falling out with his deputy PM Barnaby Joyce over Joyce’s relationship with a former staff member, and the backbencher George Christensen’s threats to quit the Coalition.
Chester, a more moderate voice inside the Nationals, said the Coalition parties needed to resolve their argument quickly.Chester, a more moderate voice inside the Nationals, said the Coalition parties needed to resolve their argument quickly.
He questioned Littleproud’s decision to elevate the issue of exempting the Nationals from cabinet solidarity, reportedly a negotiating point which blindsided some of his colleagues.He questioned Littleproud’s decision to elevate the issue of exempting the Nationals from cabinet solidarity, reportedly a negotiating point which blindsided some of his colleagues.
“I had conversations with some Liberal colleagues who I have known for a long time and respect, and pointed out to them that the issue around cabinet solidarity was not something that I think should have been a non-negotiable point,” Chester said.“I had conversations with some Liberal colleagues who I have known for a long time and respect, and pointed out to them that the issue around cabinet solidarity was not something that I think should have been a non-negotiable point,” Chester said.
“The principles around cabinet solidarity and shadow cabinet solidarity are well understood. If you can’t agree with a position taken by the cabinet or shadow cabinet, you stand down … I don’t think that should have been a dealbreaker.”“The principles around cabinet solidarity and shadow cabinet solidarity are well understood. If you can’t agree with a position taken by the cabinet or shadow cabinet, you stand down … I don’t think that should have been a dealbreaker.”
But Chester also praised Littleproud and Ley for not having a “dummy spit” and treating each other with respect.But Chester also praised Littleproud and Ley for not having a “dummy spit” and treating each other with respect.
McCormack, asked if Littleproud had his full support for the future, said he was “ambitious” for the party leader – a line echoing the notorious moment in 2018 when Scott Morrison was asked the same question about Turnbull, whom he succeeded as Liberal leader just two days later after a party room spill.McCormack, asked if Littleproud had his full support for the future, said he was “ambitious” for the party leader – a line echoing the notorious moment in 2018 when Scott Morrison was asked the same question about Turnbull, whom he succeeded as Liberal leader just two days later after a party room spill.
Joyce, reportedly one of few Nationals MPs set to miss out on a spokesperson role if Littleproud named a senior team of his own, told Sky News that his colleagues shouldn’t “go to war with the Liberal party”.Joyce, reportedly one of few Nationals MPs set to miss out on a spokesperson role if Littleproud named a senior team of his own, told Sky News that his colleagues shouldn’t “go to war with the Liberal party”.
“I’ve always been of the mind to try and park this internecine issue and move on to the one that really matters, which is holding a government to account,” he said.“I’ve always been of the mind to try and park this internecine issue and move on to the one that really matters, which is holding a government to account,” he said.