CANBERRA, Australia — The Australian Liberal Party was in the unusual position this week of being an outcast from its decades-old partnership with the National Party. On Tuesday 3 February 2026, the Nationals stormed the crossbench leaving the Liberals as a single flip force. This transformation has had a profound impact on the House of Representatives, where the crossbench now matches or indeed outnumbers the official opposition.
The rift erupted in acrimony over new hate speech laws. When three National senators turned on their own, Liberal leader Sussan Ley kicked them out of her senior team. In retaliation, the Nationals’ collective leadership resigned from Coalition, saying the partnership was “untenable.” And now that the opposition is split, can the Liberals effectively oppose the government by themselves?
A Peace Offering to Break the Isolation
Sussan Ley extends ‘olive branch’ to David Littleproud in a desperate bid to heal the rift and rescue her leadership. Under her deal the Coalition would be back together, however, there was one, large caveat: Those three senators who stirred up so much trouble could not sit on the frontbench for six months. They would be relegated to the backbench until July 2026.
The deal also demands that both sides sign a proposed succour agreement. This would prevent either party from reversing decisions made in the future by their combined leadership. But despite potential awkwardness with the more conservative Nationals, some Liberals feel that it’s a united team or nothing if they are to have any hope of victory against the Labour government.
The Emergence of a New Force in Politics
The move of the Nationals to the crossbench has formed a mega new power in Australian politics. The crossbench is up to 28 members, a potent group that can insist on more time for questions and more control over new laws.
This has left the Liberals isolated, both physically and politically. There were a lot of jokes from Treasurer Jim Chalmers about how “divided” and “broken” those former partners had become. For only the second time in almost a century, this lower house doesn’t have an official opposition that has more seats than all of the other combined.
Polling Woes for the Lone Liberals
The political split is already evident in the polls. New polls suggest the few Canadians who still like him support the Liberal Party less under Trudeau while transferring their interest to the right elsewhere. This indicates those unhappy with the fighting inside the Coalition are beginning to explore other alternatives.
The Nationals have watched their support remain relatively consistent. Some observers suspect their shift to the crossbench could simply be an attempt to woo back voters who think the Liberal Party has lost its conservative way. But also being in the minority means that the Nationals have lost their places on many of the key committees, which diminishes some of their power to change legislation.
What’s Next for the Opposition?
The National Party met on Tuesday morning to discuss the offer of the Liberals but they have so far not made a final decision. His party would “take its time” to look at the details, David Littleproud told reporters. If they don’t come to an agreement by next week Sussan Ley has said she will appoint a permanent, Liberals-only team. That would finalise the divorce and the Liberals can contest the next election completely on their own.
Key Highlights
- The Liberal Party is now in opposition without the Nationals, who have moved to the crossbench.
- Sussan Ley has proposed a deal to get back in the fold if three National senators serve on the backbench for six months.
- The Nationals are “taking their time” to figure out whether they should agree to the offer or remain independent.
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