Full Story The Coalition survives (again) – how long will Ley’s leadership?
Feb 9, 2026
Dan Jervis-Bardy, Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, gives a concise take on the Coalition’s sudden reunion and Sussan Ley’s shaky standing. He breaks down the weekend negotiations, internal party pressures and optics that forced the truce. He also maps how the pact raises the odds of a leadership challenge and explores whether the split might recur.
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Coalition Reunited After Short Break
- The Liberals and Nationals reunited after 17 days following intense weekend negotiations and a public announcement on Sunday.
- Dan Jervis-Bardy says senior conservatives and former leaders helped push the parties to patch things up to avoid prolonged division.
Rewriting Of The 'Untenable' Claim
- The Nationals' initial quit of the shadow ministry hinged on reinstating three senators who crossed the floor.
- David Littleproud later framed his earlier “untenable” comment as conditional on Susan Ley refusing that reinstatement.
Fix Optics Quickly
- Restoring public optics was a major driver for reunion because parliamentary splits made the parties a laughingstock.
- Reconcile publicly fast to avoid repeated embarrassment and operational disruption in parliamentary business.