'Not clearly thought through': Joyce roasts Nats leaders over Coalition separation

The Advertiser

22-05-2025

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has called for a return to "stability" as his party navigates a potential path back to forming the alternative government with the Liberal Party, days after its shock decision to exit the Coalition.
"Your duty to your nation is to have a competent opposition, to hold the government to account," Mr Joyce told The Canberra Times.
"You can't do that if you're all over the shop."
Nationals leader David Littleproud and Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley on Thursday paused the announcement of their respective frontbenches, after agreeing to restart negotiations.
Ms Ley said she had done so after Mr Littleproud confirmed the Nationals were willing to "accept shadow cabinet solidarity as part of a Coalition agreement", meaning that both parties would formally commit to agreeing on policies and voting together in Parliament.
"This is the first time this commitment has been made and I welcome it as a foundation to resolve other matters," she said.
"It has always been the Liberal Party's objective to form a Coalition, and we welcome The Nationals' decision to re-enter negotiations."
The leaders will aim to reach agreement in time to appoint an opposition shadow ministry before Parliament opens in late July.
Mr Littleproud has blamed the Coalition split on the Liberal Party leader's refusal to commit to retaining four key policies: nuclear energy, divestiture laws to break up the big supermarkets, better telecommunications services for the regions and the $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund.
He told reporters in Canberra on Thursday that he had agreed to return to the negotiating table after Ms Ley said she would "reconvene her party room to discuss the four policy areas that the National Party demand as part of a Coalition agreement."
"This is a positive step forward, one which we've always said would be productive and constructive."
Ms Ley said: "In relation to the policy positions proposed by the National Party Room, consistent with my consultation commitment, the Liberal Party will consider these, utilising our party room processes."
Mr Littleproud said his party had "acted in good faith", after blowing up the Coalition for the fourth time in a century and the first since the 1980s.
Mr Joyce, who opposed Mr Littleproud's decision not to sign a post-election federal Coalition agreement -announced on Tuesday after gaining majority party room support - said he wanted the party to move forward.
"Stability is the first attribute of a conservative government. It's what people want ... And that's not conveying stability," he said.
"I just want us to be effective, cogent and stable."
He said there were "a lot of things that weren't clearly thought through" in the decision to split from the Liberals, which Nationals deputy leader Kevin Hogan on Tuesday likened to a temporary relationship break aimed at achieving "more clarity and more focus".
"It's an oxymoronic turn to say we'll have an amicable separation," Mr Joyce said.
Mr Joyce dismissed the idea that Liberal Party's electoral wipeout meant the party would have to shift its policies away from those popular with Nationals voters.
"I don't [agree that] every person in the city is a raving teal," Mr Joyce said.
"Hearts are marvellous things, but when the money starts flying out of the wallet, they have different views."
He said the Albanese government's controversial plan to tax unrealised capital gains on superannuation balances of $3 million or more, without indexation, was an example of policy that Liberal and National party voters would agree in opposing.
Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has called for a return to "stability" as his party navigates a potential path back to forming the alternative government with the Liberal Party, days after its shock decision to exit the Coalition.
"Your duty to your nation is to have a competent opposition, to hold the government to account," Mr Joyce told The Canberra Times.
"You can't do that if you're all over the shop."
Nationals leader David Littleproud and Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley on Thursday paused the announcement of their respective frontbenches, after agreeing to restart negotiations.
Ms Ley said she had done so after Mr Littleproud confirmed the Nationals were willing to "accept shadow cabinet solidarity as part of a Coalition agreement", meaning that both parties would formally commit to agreeing on policies and voting together in Parliament.
"This is the first time this commitment has been made and I welcome it as a foundation to resolve other matters," she said.
"It has always been the Liberal Party's objective to form a Coalition, and we welcome The Nationals' decision to re-enter negotiations."
The leaders will aim to reach agreement in time to appoint an opposition shadow ministry before Parliament opens in late July.
Mr Littleproud has blamed the Coalition split on the Liberal Party leader's refusal to commit to retaining four key policies: nuclear energy, divestiture laws to break up the big supermarkets, better telecommunications services for the regions and the $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund.
He told reporters in Canberra on Thursday that he had agreed to return to the negotiating table after Ms Ley said she would "reconvene her party room to discuss the four policy areas that the National Party demand as part of a Coalition agreement."
"This is a positive step forward, one which we've always said would be productive and constructive."
Ms Ley said: "In relation to the policy positions proposed by the National Party Room, consistent with my consultation commitment, the Liberal Party will consider these, utilising our party room processes."
Mr Littleproud said his party had "acted in good faith", after blowing up the Coalition for the fourth time in a century and the first since the 1980s.
Mr Joyce, who opposed Mr Littleproud's decision not to sign a post-election federal Coalition agreement -announced on Tuesday after gaining majority party room support - said he wanted the party to move forward.
"Stability is the first attribute of a conservative government. It's what people want ... And that's not conveying stability," he said.
"I just want us to be effective, cogent and stable."
He said there were "a lot of things that weren't clearly thought through" in the decision to split from the Liberals, which Nationals deputy leader Kevin Hogan on Tuesday likened to a temporary relationship break aimed at achieving "more clarity and more focus".
"It's an oxymoronic turn to say we'll have an amicable separation," Mr Joyce said.
Mr Joyce dismissed the idea that Liberal Party's electoral wipeout meant the party would have to shift its policies away from those popular with Nationals voters.
"I don't [agree that] every person in the city is a raving teal," Mr Joyce said.
"Hearts are marvellous things, but when the money starts flying out of the wallet, they have different views."
He said the Albanese government's controversial plan to tax unrealised capital gains on superannuation balances of $3 million or more, without indexation, was an example of policy that Liberal and National party voters would agree in opposing.
Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has called for a return to "stability" as his party navigates a potential path back to forming the alternative government with the Liberal Party, days after its shock decision to exit the Coalition.
"Your duty to your nation is to have a competent opposition, to hold the government to account," Mr Joyce told The Canberra Times.
"You can't do that if you're all over the shop."
Nationals leader David Littleproud and Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley on Thursday paused the announcement of their respective frontbenches, after agreeing to restart negotiations.
Ms Ley said she had done so after Mr Littleproud confirmed the Nationals were willing to "accept shadow cabinet solidarity as part of a Coalition agreement", meaning that both parties would formally commit to agreeing on policies and voting together in Parliament.
"This is the first time this commitment has been made and I welcome it as a foundation to resolve other matters," she said.
"It has always been the Liberal Party's objective to form a Coalition, and we welcome The Nationals' decision to re-enter negotiations."
The leaders will aim to reach agreement in time to appoint an opposition shadow ministry before Parliament opens in late July.
Mr Littleproud has blamed the Coalition split on the Liberal Party leader's refusal to commit to retaining four key policies: nuclear energy, divestiture laws to break up the big supermarkets, better telecommunications services for the regions and the $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund.
He told reporters in Canberra on Thursday that he had agreed to return to the negotiating table after Ms Ley said she would "reconvene her party room to discuss the four policy areas that the National Party demand as part of a Coalition agreement."
"This is a positive step forward, one which we've always said would be productive and constructive."
Ms Ley said: "In relation to the policy positions proposed by the National Party Room, consistent with my consultation commitment, the Liberal Party will consider these, utilising our party room processes."
Mr Littleproud said his party had "acted in good faith", after blowing up the Coalition for the fourth time in a century and the first since the 1980s.
Mr Joyce, who opposed Mr Littleproud's decision not to sign a post-election federal Coalition agreement -announced on Tuesday after gaining majority party room support - said he wanted the party to move forward.
"Stability is the first attribute of a conservative government. It's what people want ... And that's not conveying stability," he said.
"I just want us to be effective, cogent and stable."
He said there were "a lot of things that weren't clearly thought through" in the decision to split from the Liberals, which Nationals deputy leader Kevin Hogan on Tuesday likened to a temporary relationship break aimed at achieving "more clarity and more focus".
"It's an oxymoronic turn to say we'll have an amicable separation," Mr Joyce said.
Mr Joyce dismissed the idea that Liberal Party's electoral wipeout meant the party would have to shift its policies away from those popular with Nationals voters.
"I don't [agree that] every person in the city is a raving teal," Mr Joyce said.
"Hearts are marvellous things, but when the money starts flying out of the wallet, they have different views."
He said the Albanese government's controversial plan to tax unrealised capital gains on superannuation balances of $3 million or more, without indexation, was an example of policy that Liberal and National party voters would agree in opposing.
Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has called for a return to "stability" as his party navigates a potential path back to forming the alternative government with the Liberal Party, days after its shock decision to exit the Coalition.
"Your duty to your nation is to have a competent opposition, to hold the government to account," Mr Joyce told The Canberra Times.
"You can't do that if you're all over the shop."
Nationals leader David Littleproud and Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley on Thursday paused the announcement of their respective frontbenches, after agreeing to restart negotiations.
Ms Ley said she had done so after Mr Littleproud confirmed the Nationals were willing to "accept shadow cabinet solidarity as part of a Coalition agreement", meaning that both parties would formally commit to agreeing on policies and voting together in Parliament.
"This is the first time this commitment has been made and I welcome it as a foundation to resolve other matters," she said.
"It has always been the Liberal Party's objective to form a Coalition, and we welcome The Nationals' decision to re-enter negotiations."
The leaders will aim to reach agreement in time to appoint an opposition shadow ministry before Parliament opens in late July.
Mr Littleproud has blamed the Coalition split on the Liberal Party leader's refusal to commit to retaining four key policies: nuclear energy, divestiture laws to break up the big supermarkets, better telecommunications services for the regions and the $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund.
He told reporters in Canberra on Thursday that he had agreed to return to the negotiating table after Ms Ley said she would "reconvene her party room to discuss the four policy areas that the National Party demand as part of a Coalition agreement."
"This is a positive step forward, one which we've always said would be productive and constructive."
Ms Ley said: "In relation to the policy positions proposed by the National Party Room, consistent with my consultation commitment, the Liberal Party will consider these, utilising our party room processes."
Mr Littleproud said his party had "acted in good faith", after blowing up the Coalition for the fourth time in a century and the first since the 1980s.
Mr Joyce, who opposed Mr Littleproud's decision not to sign a post-election federal Coalition agreement -announced on Tuesday after gaining majority party room support - said he wanted the party to move forward.
"Stability is the first attribute of a conservative government. It's what people want ... And that's not conveying stability," he said.
"I just want us to be effective, cogent and stable."
He said there were "a lot of things that weren't clearly thought through" in the decision to split from the Liberals, which Nationals deputy leader Kevin Hogan on Tuesday likened to a temporary relationship break aimed at achieving "more clarity and more focus".
"It's an oxymoronic turn to say we'll have an amicable separation," Mr Joyce said.
Mr Joyce dismissed the idea that Liberal Party's electoral wipeout meant the party would have to shift its policies away from those popular with Nationals voters.
"I don't [agree that] every person in the city is a raving teal," Mr Joyce said.
"Hearts are marvellous things, but when the money starts flying out of the wallet, they have different views."
He said the Albanese government's controversial plan to tax unrealised capital gains on superannuation balances of $3 million or more, without indexation, was an example of policy that Liberal and National party voters would agree in opposing.