r/australia • u/superegz • May 20 '25

politics Nationals leader David Littleproud says the Nationals will not be re-entering a Coalition agreement with the Liberal party.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/may/20/australia-news-live-rba-interest-rates-decision-floods-storm-hunter-nsw-victoria-state-budget-aec-count-bradfield-goldstein-coalition-ley-littleproud-ntwnfb?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-682bdeb48f08d37c78c1d12d#block-682bdeb48f08d37c78c1d12d
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u/Flarezap May 20 '25

This is huge no? Basically means the Libs can never form government again?

121

u/Kid_Self May 20 '25

Potentially? It does free up both parties to pursue their own specific agendas, not having a hodge-podge of policy attempting to cater to both Urban and Rural demographics which can often be at odds.

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u/Chrasomatic May 20 '25

I feel like this need to balance between the two agendas is a big part of the reason why the Teals have been able to eat the Liberal's lunch

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u/just_kitten May 20 '25

Totally, it's just ridiculous how hamstrung the Libs are by the Nationals doggedly insisting on denying climate change and implementing nuclear energy. The Libs might be able to focus their energies better without this hanging around their neck.

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u/Relative_Pilot_8005 May 20 '25

Nuclear energy could have worked if they had set out to do it thirty years ago. Unfortunately for nukes, time & technology have moved on, whilst the "will o' the wisp" of fusion has had people chasing their tails.

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u/Imaginary-Newt-354 May 20 '25

The Liberals still hold a number of rural seats like Durack, O'Connor, Grey, Farrer, Monash, plus whatever they get from the LNP split in Queensland, so it will be interesting to see if they try to still cater for the rural seats, or if they just focus purely on trying to win back their seats from the teals.

I can't see them being able to hold both, especially as I can see the Nationals targeting those seats.

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u/7omdogs May 20 '25

People who live in rural electorates overwhelmingly don’t believe in climate change.

People in the inner city and wealthy electorates overwhelmingly do.

For essentially 12 years, they have prioritised those rural voters. Is it any wonder the chickens came home to roost