Littleproud open to Ley meeting after leadership challenge

By Kye Halford • January 29, 2026

Nationals Leader David Littleproud signals he may meet with Liberal Leader Sussan Ley after the impending challenge to his leadership is resolved.

What we know:

  • Littleproud issued a statement overnight, saying it would be “inaccurate” to suggest the Nationals had rejected the Liberals’ offer to meet and discuss the Coalition re-forming (ABC).

  • The Nationals leader implied he had declined the initial invitation out of respect for the “process” of the Nationals' leadership spill, set for Monday.

  • In a message to Liberal MPs, Ley said she had written to Littleproud on Tuesday night proposing a meeting “without any preconditions” to discuss the two parties’ relationship after last week’s Coalition split (The Guardian).

  • Ley applied pressure to Littleproud by claiming the Nationals leader was too busy fending off leadership threats to discuss reforming the Coalition (The Age).

  • Littleproud is set to face a leadership challenge from MP Colin Boyce, who described the decision to split the Coalition as “political suicide” (9News).

  • “I will be moving spill motion on Monday afternoon in the National Party party room to give my colleagues an option,” Boyce said. “Because the reality is: if they follow the course they’re on now we are going over the political cliff” (news.com.au).
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