Sussan Ley unveils all-Liberal interim shadow cabinet and gives Nationals an ultimatum | Liberal party
Opposition leader Sussan Ley appointed a temporary Liberal-only shadow cabinet after the two parties split, giving the Nationals just over a week to return to the table to reform the Coalition.
Ley appointed current Liberal shadow ministers to hold former National portfolios in a depute capacity for the next sitting week from Tuesday.
Ley said that if reforms are not made in the Coalition by February 9, the start of the second session week, he will appoint six MPs to the shadow cabinet and two to the shadow ministry of foreign affairs.
The announcement gives the National Party an eight-day deadline to return to the table to reform the Coalition or face a more permanent split.
“There is tremendous talent in the parliamentary Liberal party and my party chamber is capable of fulfilling each of these roles on a permanent basis,” Ley said.
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Ley announced that Liberal deputy leader and shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien will take on the additional deputy treasurer and financial services portfolios.
Michaelia Cash will add trade and tourism, Anne Ruston will add agriculture and forestry to her health portfolio, shadow energy secretary Dan Tehan will be given resources and shadow special secretary of state James McGrath will be given infrastructure and transport.
Shadow defense secretary Angus Taylor will be given veterans affairs and shadow environment secretary Angie Bell will be given water and emergency management.
Guardian Australia reported this week that Ley wanted to meet Littleproud for last-minute talks about the future of the Coalition ahead of the return of parliament, but the National Party leader turned down an invitation to focus on the leadership leak, scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Littleproud denied Ley’s accusation and said a time for the meeting would be set once the motion was agreed.
“It would be wrong to suggest that the Nationals have rejected the Liberal Party’s request for a meeting to be held within the next 48 hours. The Opposition Leader’s office has been advised that a time will be determined after the leak motion is set at our party room meeting,” he said on Wednesday.
In Friday’s announcement, Ley said he understood and respected Littleproud’s decision to wait for the leak motion.
“After the nations’ parliamentary meeting on Monday, I will try to meet with the person chosen as their leader.”
Littleproud said he would allocate portfolios to the National Team until after Monday’s planned leadership spill. He is expected to remain as party leader.
Meanwhile, Ley still faces a possible challenge for the Liberal leadership, but the two main contenders, Andrew Hastie and Taylor, both from the right, are deadlocked over who will run against Ley.
A meeting between the two on Thursday, which also included two senior shadow cabinet ministers Jonathon Duniam and James Paterson, also on the right, resulted in no decision.
