Spill talk, lonesome Liberals and beer tax: Here’s what the first sitting week holds

The political futures of Sussan Ley and David Littleproud, a slimmer Liberal-only Opposition and Government legislation freezing the beer tax are what voters can expect to hear about when Parliament resumes this week.

MPs and senators began trickling into Canberra over the weekend ahead of the first sitting fortnight of the year.

To kick off, the Nationals will on Monday hold a party room meeting where Mr Littleproud is expected to face a leadership challenge from disgruntled backbencher Colin Boyce.

Mr Boyce surprised many when he announced his plan to call a leadership spill in late January, declaring his colleagues needed to “wake up to themselves” after the Coalition split for the second time in eight months.

He admitted on Sunday that he did not have the numbers but encouraged colleagues to take a punt, arguing a change in leadership was needed to restore the Coalition and stop the Nationals bleeding seats at the next federal election.

“Anybody can do it,” Mr Boyce told Sky News, welcoming a secondary challenge from Senator Matt Canavan.

“But the problem for the National Party is if they go it alone to the next election, you’ve got four-cornered contests in New South Wales and Victoria, and it’s arguable that many of the National Party people won’t hold their seats.

“You’ve got senators in Victoria and New South Wales that won’t get enough quota to win a Senate seat.”

Mr Boyce also said a new Liberal Party leader was needed to ensure the Coalition stayed together.

Any challengers looking to oust Ms Ley will have an opportunity to try when the Liberal party room meets on Tuesday.

But Liberal frontbenchers have said publicly that Ms Ley has both their support and that of the wider party room, despite murmurs conservative forces are plotting against her following the Coalition split.

One of her rumoured challengers, Western Australian MP Andrew Hastie, has backed down, posting on social media “it is clear that I do not have the support needed to become leader of the Liberal Party”.

Her other potential challenger, Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor, has not ruled out a tilt.

He and Mr Hastie took part in a secretive meeting with conservative heavyweights late last week, including Opposition finance spokesman James Paterson.

The men reportedly emerged from the talks in Melbourne without consensus on a challenger, playing into moderates’ claims Ms Ley is safe for the time being.

“I don’t expect a challenge to the leadership at all,” Senator Ruston said on Sunday, also speaking to Sky News.

She said the party was more “focused” on a potential rate rise next week.

“I mean, there’s obviously been speculation, but I quite frankly believe entirely that Sussan Ley has the support of the party room and that she will remain our leader into the future,” she said.

Ms Ley’s deputy, Ted O’Brien, shared a similar view when speaking to the ABC a little later.

Mr O’Brien is among Ms Ley’s staunchest supporters, backing her despite her eight-month leadership being plagued by record-low poll numbers, two Coalition splits, shadow cabinet reshuffles and rebellious backbenchers.

“She has my support,” he said.

“I believe she has the support of the majority of the party room.”

Neither Senator Ruston nor Mr O’Brien said Mr Taylor should quit shadow cabinet, with Senator Ruston welcoming her “colleagues having ambitions” and Mr O’Brien praising Mr Taylor’s “positive contributions”.

Any Liberal leadership machinations on Tuesday will play out against the backdrop of pomp and pageantry that accompanies parliament’s resumption.

Parliamentarians will be able to attend a church service at St Andrew’s – a Presbyterian Church near Parliament House – and a smoking ceremony on Capital Hill.

Without a resolution to the Coalition’s divorce, the Liberal Party will serve as the Opposition with just 28 seats in the House of Representatives.

Labor holds 94, which was already more than double the Opposition had when it included the Nationals.

With the Nationals off the Opposition, it is now a minor party and will not sit with the Liberals for the first time since the 1980s.

Meanwhile, the Albanese Government aims to advance legislation freezing indexation on draught beer, streamlining prescription processes and safeguarding coal miners’ pay.

The Government last year implemented a two-year freeze on draught beer tax, effective from August, 2025.

Draught beer has been subject to biannual CPI-linked excise hikes since the 1980s.

The freeze came amid intense pressure over the cost of beer, with some pubs forced to charge $20 per pint.

The Government will also spruik cost of living and Medicare measures that kicked in on January 1.