Nationals who defied shadow cabinet would sit on backbench for six months under Coalition peace deal | Coalition

Three National 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 bid for the National Party to reunify the Coalition.

National Party leader David Littleproud said the country party would “take its time” to consider the Liberals’ proposal, leaving the prospect of a potential meeting of the two parties unclear at the start of a new two-week session in Canberra.

But Guardian Australia understands some National MPs have a negative view of the proposal and are unlikely to approve it.

The Nationals have until February 9 to regroup with the Liberals before Ley becomes a permanent, Liberal-only frontrunner to formalize the Coalition split.

Ley briefed Liberal MPs on the terms of a possible peace deal with the National Party after talks with Littleproud on Monday night, which he described as “friendly” and “constructive”.

The opposition leader did not face an immediate loss of leadership at Tuesday’s meeting, as Conservative challenger Angus Taylor bided his time before launching the challenge.

Speaking outside a traditional church service to mark the return of parliament, Ley expressed confidence that it would survive at least until the federal budget in May.

Ley and Littleproud met on Monday night but failed to reach an agreement on reforming the Coalition following last month’s split; That means the two parties will sit separately when parliament restarts on Tuesday.

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The real sticking point is the National Party’s insistence that the three senators who took to the floor on Labor’s hate speech laws – Bridget McKenzie, Ross Cadell and Susan McDonald – be brought back to the front bench.

Ley’s decision to accept the resignations of three senators led to the National Party’s withdrawal from the shadow ministry, triggering the dissolution of the Coalition for the second time in eight months.

Littleproud initially claimed the Coalition was “untenable” under Ley’s leadership but has since softened his language, opening the door to reunification.

Guardian Australia has confirmed the three senators will not be able to rejoin the shadow cabinet for six months under Ley’s offer to Littleproud.

The suspension period ends in July 2026.

The Nationals will be able to choose which MP will replace the dismissed trio in the shadow cabinet.

According to the agreement, both parties will remain committed to the solidarity of the shadow cabinet and neither side will have the authority to overturn a decision taken by the shadow cabinet.

Conditions are red lines for Ley.

The Liberals also want to take back the deputy Treasury portfolio, which was transferred to the Nationals after the 2025 federal election. It can be offered in exchange for a portfolio of skills.

Despite reservations from some colleagues, including many moderate Liberals, about returning to a coalition with the National Party, Ley extended the olive branch.

Andrew Bragg, a leading Liberal figure and leading moderate, said if the Nationals rejected the deal the party should “move on”.

“I think it’s in the nation’s interest for us to come together. But if we can’t find a reliable partner then you can’t ask for things that aren’t right,” he told the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing.

“We all love Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, but they’re not necessarily true.”

The national party chamber met on Tuesday morning to consider the proposal. “We will take time to consider the details,” Littleproud said in a statement.

“Citizens are united in our efforts to reset the Coalition, but we will not be providing updates on any negotiations through the media.

“Negotiations are ongoing and we will always be constructive and act in good faith. It is important that we take the time to get the settings right.”

The opposition leader last week gave the National Party a 10-day deadline to reassemble the Coalition before the Liberals move forward as the sole opposition party.

Ley has only been appointed to the Liberal front bench on an interim basis, where current shadow ministers will temporarily fill the National Representatives’ portfolios, but plans to make it permanent unless the parties meet again before the start of the parliamentary session next week on February 9.