Eight days after their post-election split, the Liberal and National parties have reunited to form a renewed Coalition, unveiling a new shadow cabinet under Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Nationals Leader David Littleproud.(news)
The brief separation followed the May 2025 federal election, where the Coalition suffered significant losses—reducing the Liberals to 28 seats and the Nationals to 15—while Labor secured a commanding 94-seat majority. The Nationals had withdrawn from the Coalition over disagreements on key policies, including nuclear energy, regional development funding, supermarket divestiture powers, and telecommunications infrastructure.(Reuters, Wikipedia)
Reunification was achieved after the Liberals agreed in principle to the Nationals’ four policy demands: lifting the moratorium on nuclear energy, establishing a $20 billion regional future fund, granting supermarket divestiture powers, and enhancing regional telecommunications coverage. (news)
The newly announced shadow cabinet reflects these policy priorities and internal party dynamics. Notable appointments include Ted O’Brien as Shadow Treasurer, Angus Taylor moving to Defence, James Paterson taking on Finance, and Michaelia Cash assuming the Foreign Affairs portfolio. Julian Leeser returns as Shadow Attorney-General, while Alex Hawke is assigned the Industry and Innovation portfolio. (news)
However, the reshuffle has sparked controversy, particularly over the removal of senior Liberal Jane Hume from the frontbench and the demotion of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to a less prominent role. Additionally, the absence of a dedicated climate portfolio has drawn criticism, highlighting ongoing tensions within the Coalition regarding climate policy. (The Australian, The Guardian)
Despite presenting a united front, internal dissent persists. Nationals MPs Barnaby Joyce and Colin Boyce have openly criticized Littleproud’s handling of the split and subsequent negotiations, accusing him of lacking transparency and misleading the party room. (The Guardian, The Australian)
The Coalition’s swift reunification underscores the political necessity of unity in opposition, yet the internal reshuffling and policy compromises reveal underlying fractures that may influence its effectiveness in challenging the Albanese government’s agenda.(Wikipedia)