The three Nationals senators who defied the shadow cabinet to oppose Labor’s hate speech laws would be forced to sit on the backbench for six months under Sussan Ley’s offer to the Nationals to reunite the Coalition. Guardian Australia has confirmed that under Ley’s offer to Littleproud, the three senators would not be able to rejoin the shadow cabinet for six months. The Nationals would be able to choose which of their MPs replaced the suspended trio in the shadow cabinet. Under the deal, both parties would adhere to shadow cabinet solidarity and neither party would have the ability to overturn a decision made by shadow cabinet. “We all like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, but they are not necessarily true.”The Nationals party room met on Tuesday morning to consider the offer.

Source: The Guardian February 03, 2026 22:34 UTC