By Renju Jose
SYDNEY, Jan 22 (Reuters) – Australia’s conservative coalition split on Thursday for the second time in less than a year after the junior partner National Party severed ties with the Liberal Party, citing the Liberals’ decision to back the government’s hate speech laws.
Australia’s parliament this week passed the centre-left Labor government’s new anti-hate laws in the wake of the Bondi Beach mass shooting last month, with backing from the Liberals. Three National senators voted against the bill, saying it was rushed through parliament and could undermine freedom of speech.
In a show of solidarity, all National members quit the opposition’s shadow cabinet late on Wednesday after three of their senators had earlier resigned for breaching coalition rules by voting against the Liberals’ position.
National leader David Littleproud said the split was triggered by opposition leader Sussan Ley’s decision to accept the senators’ resignations.
“She has forced the coalition into an untenable position that can no longer continue,” Littleproud said at a press conference.
“We made it very clear that there would be a consequence and that if Sussan accepted those resignations, then that consequence is that the coalition would be untenable. It would be forced into a position that could not continue. She was aware of that.”
Littleproud said his party had not breached coalition rules and that it should not be forced into supporting a position.
Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the coalition had shared power in governments, with the Nationals broadly representing the interests of rural communities and the Liberals contesting city seats.
The two parties split briefly in May 2025 over policy differences, including renewable energy, following a resounding loss at a national election, before reuniting a week later.
The latest split comes after recent polls showed rising support for populist Senator Pauline Hanson’s anti-immigration One Nation party.
A closely watched poll by The Australian newspaper released this week showed One Nation’s primary vote had overtaken that of the coalition, with some analysts suggesting many Liberal voters are drifting toward One Nation.
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Jamie Freed)
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