So we have had a few chats and this is what we have learned.

Some in the Nationals have been on this for some time – the marriage has not been happy since the Turnbull days (and earlier, but that is the main split).

Sheer force of rightwing will kept it together under Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton. But with the 2025 election result, the Nationals have had a head full of steam.

There wasn’t a lot of togetherness during the election campaign, as you may have noticed. David Littleproud pretty much decided that if the election went pearshaped, this is what would happen.

The more sensible Nats saw the writing on the wall and decided not to fight it – because it would be like fighting a gust of smoke. So they just figured the Liberals are “a shitshow” and at least this way there would be a “bit of fun” with no chance of any actual results at the end of it.

Some of the more sensible Nats hope this will also bring renewal for themselves – that they will finally manage to bring an end to some of the more batshit ideas in the party now that the party is in charge of its own destiny.

So Sussan Ley never really had a chance of making an agreement here – Littleproud walked into the meeting set on divorcing the Nationals from the Coalition and walked out 30 minutes later. That included the sit down pleasantries.

So 102 years wham, bam, shang-a-lang over in less time than it takes to cook a lamb roast.