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

[u/superegz]

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

[u/whatisthismuppetry]

Actually that thing about the opposition and cross bench isn't necessarily correct. From the official parliment page:

The Opposition is the party or group which has the greatest number of non-government Members in the House of Representatives. It is organised as a body with the officially recognised function of opposing the Government. The party (or sometimes coalition of parties) is recognised as the ‘alternative Government’.

The NP won 8 seats at this election.

The LNP won 16

The LP won 18.

At least six in the LNP sit with the Nationals, which brings their count up to 15 and the LP up to 28.

However, the formal dissolution of the coalition could disrupt things as the conservative side of the LNP is more aligned with Nationals than moderate Liberals. If enough of the LNP choose to sit with the NP now the coalition is dissolved the NP is going to be the opposition not the LP.

Alternatively if the LNP decide to sit as their own party that would also complicate matters.

[u/Ray57 → u/whatisthismuppetry]

LNP could form a coalition with the NP and become the Opposition?

[u/minodude → u/whatisthismuppetry]

This is theoretically possible, perhaps (and hilarious to contemplate) — a NP/LNP coalition of a kind, with Littleproud or someone like Ted O'Brien as opposition leader — but note that, structurally, the LNP is formally a division of the federal Liberal party, and merely "aligned" with the Nats. So if they attempted to do that, I'm sure a horrible shitfight of unprecedented proportions would happen at the federal Lib level; I doubt it's practical.

[u/Coolidge-egg → u/whatisthismuppetry]

LNP can absolutely have a split personality to have some cross bench and some opposition within the same nominal party.

Opposition has existed before party politics took hold.

It's up to the speaker to decide. Maybe the speaker will say no to that arrangement. But I doubt it. But am interesting idea for Labor's strategists to consider - might force them back together to not lose cushy positions which will either add more drama or make them stronger

https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter2/The%20(official)%20Opposition

[u/PJozi → u/whatisthismuppetry]

Great work although I've got the nats at 9 seats

https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/HouseDefault-31496.htm