Sussan Ley threatens to bench renegade National cabinet members after meeting with David Littleproud

Liberal leader Sussan Ley told David Littleproud she would accept three renegade Nationals senators back onto the frontbench but only after they spent six months in time out.

The Nationals are now considering the offer, but Mr Littleproud said his party would take its time to do so.

The two party leaders and their offsiders held talks on Monday night about reuniting the Coalition but didn’t reach any conclusion.

Deputy Nationals leader Kevin Hogan described the meeting as “civil, co-operative and friendly”, but ultimately just a “preliminary chat”.

A Liberal source said there was a desire to bring the Coalition back together in the national interest.

But some Liberal members have said privately it might be better for the parties to remain separate for an extended period to independently pursue the voter bases they need to win back.

Ms Ley put on the table an offer that both parties would reaffirm shadow cabinet solidarity and agree that neither party room could overturn any decision endorsed by the joint frontbench.

She also made it a condition that Bridget McKenzie, Susan McDonald and Ross Cadell, who resigned after crossing the floor to oppose laws banning hate groups, couldn’t rejoin the frontbench until July 2026 at the earliest.

“We are both parties on the non-Labor side of politics and we both have a lot in common when it comes to the people we represent and the way we know we have to hold this Labor government to account,” Ms Ley said on Tuesday morning.

“So we agreed that we would keep talking. The conversations were friendly, constructive and will continue.”

Mr Littleproud confirmed he’d received a written offer from the Liberals and his party was considering its next move.

“The Nationals are united in our endeavours to reset the Coalition, but we won’t be providing updates on any negotiations through the media,” he said in a statement.

“The negotiations are ongoing and we will always be constructive and act in good faith. It’s important we take the time to get the settings right.”

The two parties got a taste of what separated parliamentary life would be like when all the Nationals were booted out of committee positions and the government moved to halve the number of questions the Opposition can ask.

Ms Ley last week gave the Nationals a deadline to reform the Coalition by Sunday, or she would appoint Liberals to fill the vacant shadow ministry positions — a move that would make it far more difficult to reunite.

The Liberals and Nationals have met as separate party rooms in Canberra on Tuesday.

Ms Ley did not face any leadership challenge from her colleagues.

The party’s right wing is still gathering numbers for a challenge by Angus Taylor.

Ms Ley insisted that her whole team was “focused 100 per cent on Australians”, particularly ahead of a looming interest rate decision by the Reserve Bank.

Deputy Liberal leader Ted O’Brien joined Ms Ley at her press conference, along with supporters Andrew Wallace and Scott Buchholz, and thanked her “for your ongoing leadership”.

Independent senator Jacqui Lambie said the country needed a proper opposition and they weren’t getting it from the Liberals and National.

“You should be ashamed of yourselves. So put it away, get back together and get moving as an opposition, because quite frankly, you’re not going to win the next election,” she said.

“Fix it today. It’s embarrassing. From where I’m sitting and millions of Australians, you’re embarrassing yourselves. So for the sake of the country, for goodness sake, get it worked out, get back together and start moving things up there in those chambers.”