The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, has appointed an interim Liberal-only shadow cabinet after the two parties split, giving the Nationals just over one week to come back to the table to reform the Coalition.
Ley has assigned the old Nationals portfolios to existing Liberal shadow ministers in an acting capacity for the upcoming sitting week, beginning Tuesday.
Ley said if the Coalition is not reformed by 9 February, the beginning of the second sitting week, she would promote six MPs to shadow cabinet and two to the outer shadow ministry.
The announcement gives the Nationals an eight-day deadline to come back to the table to reform the Coalition, or face a more permanent split.
“There is enormous talent in the parliamentary Liberal party and my party room is more than capable of permanently fulfilling each and every one of those roles,” Ley said.
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Ley announced deputy Liberal leader and shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien will receive the additional assistant treasurer and financial service portfolios.
Michaelia Cash will add trade and tourism, Anne Ruston will add agriculture and forestry to her health portfolio, shadow energy minister Dan Tehan will be given resources, while the shadow special minister of state, James McGrath, will be given infrastructure and transport.
The shadow defence minister, Angus Taylor, will be given veterans affairs, and the shadow environment minister, Angie Bell, will be given water and emergency management.
Guardian Australia this week reported Ley wanted to meet Littleproud for last-minute talks on the future of the Coalition ahead of parliament’s return, but the Nationals leader rebuffed the invitation to focus on a leadership spill scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Littleproud dismissed the accusation from Ley, and said once the spill motion is determined, a time for the meeting would be scheduled.
“It would be inaccurate to suggest that The Nationals rebuffed a meeting request by the Liberal Party, to meet within the ensuing 48 hours. The Opposition Leader’s office was advised that once the spill motion is determined in our party room meeting, a time will be scheduled,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
In Friday’s announcement, Ley said she understood and respected Littleproud’s decision to wait for the spill motion.
“Following Monday’s parliamentary meeting of the Nationals, I will attempt to meet with whoever is elected as their leader.”
Littleproud said he would assign portfolios for the Nationals until after Monday’s planned leadership spill. He is expected to remain party leader.
Meanwhile, Ley is still facing a possible challenge for the Liberal leadership, but the two main contenders, Andrew Hastie and Taylor, both from the right faction, remain in a deadlock on who will run against Ley.
A meeting between the two on Thursday, which included Jonathon Duniam and James Paterson, two senior shadow cabinet ministers also in the right faction, ended with no resolution.
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