David Littleproud has survived a challenge and will continue as leader of the National Party after an attempted spill failed to attract the backing needed.
The challenge was initiated by Queensland-based federal MP Colin Boyce at the party room meeting on Feb. 2. However, the motion did not gain support from colleagues, preventing it from progressing to a ballot.
The failed challenges follows nearly two weeks of instability within the Liberal-National Coalition, sparked after the Nationals vacated the partnership after a split over Labor’s contentious hate speech legislation.
Boyce said he moved the motion because he believed the Nationals were damaging themselves politically by operating independently from the Liberal Party.
The Queensland backbencher had formally announced his intention to challenge Littleproud on Jan. 22, arguing the party was “committing political suicide.”
“I’m hoping to achieve a change of leadership in the National Party and the Liberal Party, and then I hope that we can form a coalition agreement, wipe the slate clean, get rid of the egos and personalities, start afresh,” Boyce said.
The internal unrest escalated after Opposition Leader Sussan Ley accepted the resignations of three Nationals senators—Bridget McKenzie, Susan McDonald and Ross Cadell—who defied a unified shadow cabinet position by voting against Labor’s hate speech laws in the Senate.
Boyce said the fallout from that decision had left the Nationals politically exposed amid a rise in popularity for the conservative-leaning One Nation party.
Coalition Talks Resume After Failed Challenge
Following the party room meeting, Littleproud is expected to meet with Ley to resume negotiations at reuniting the Coalition.Ley has already established an interim Liberal-only shadow cabinet, giving the Nationals a one-week deadline.
If the parties fail to reunite by the second sitting week of parliament, the Liberals plan to elevate six MPs to the shadow cabinet and appoint two others to the outer shadow ministry.
