Liberal Leadership Disappointed With National Party’s Breakaway

Nationals walk away from 80-year-old Coalition over policy divide, citing nuclear energy, divestiture laws and regional funding priorities.

Australia's Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley speaks at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on May 13, 2025. Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images

The Liberal Party has expressed disappointment over the Nationals’ decision to formally exit the Coalition agreement, issuing a carefully worded statement distancing itself from the breakdown.

“It is disappointing that the National party has taken the decision to leave the Coalition today,” said Sussan Ley, recently elected leader of Liberal party and her deputy Ted O’Brien, in a joint statement released just hours after Nationals leader David Littleproud’s announcement on May 20.

Littleproud cited a mismatch in priorities, particularly on issues such as nuclear energy, supermarket divestiture laws, and a $20 billion regional Future Fund, as the reason for the split.

The Liberals noted that a comprehensive review of their election policies is underway following the Coalition’s major defeat on May 3, but stressed that the review “was not an indication that any one of them would be abandoned, nor that every single one would be adopted.”

The statement sought to clarify that the Liberal Party had remained open to continuing the partnership, including through a joint shadow ministry.

“In good faith, the Liberals proposed appointing a joint Coalition shadow ministry now, with separate policy development in each party room and subsequent joint policy positions determined in the usual way,” the statement said.

“Unfortunately, the Nationals determined this was not possible.”

Split Dims Opposition Strength

With the Nationals out, the Liberals reaffirm their role as official opposition but warn the split weakened their collective power.

“As the largest non-government party, the Liberal Party is the official opposition,” the statement said, confirming Nationals will no longer hold shadow cabinet roles.

The Liberals stressed they had insisted on maintaining shadow cabinet solidarity as a key condition for any Coalition agreement.

However, this was “not explicitly agreed to by the Nationals.”

‘Door Remains Open’

The Liberal Party said it remains open to future collaboration

“The Liberal Party’s door remains open to the Nationals should they wish to rejoin the Coalition before the next election,” the statement said.

Nationals Say It Was a ‘Principled Position’

Hours before the statement, Littleproud said the decision had been made respectfully after discussions with Ley, and described it as “the hardest political decision” of his career.

“There is no animosity, no angst, no heat. It is predicated on respect and understanding,” Littleproud said.

While the Nationals have not ruled out returning to the Coalition before the next election, Littleproud said the move was necessary to give his party space to focus on regional issues and reassert its identity.

This marks only the third time in the Coalition’s 80-year history that the parties have gone their separate ways at the federal level.