'Death knell' looms for Ley after second Coalition split in a year

Less than a year into her reign, the federal Liberal Party's first-ever female leader is sitting on death row.

For the second time in mere months, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is commanding only a tattered, single-party Coalition.

After announcing his party's split from the "untenable" alliance, Nationals leader David Littleproud left some blunt criticism as a parting gift for his Liberal counterpart.

READ MORE: Coalition splits again as Ley goes quiet and Littleproud rules future 'untenable'

"She was aware of the consequences if she (accepted the resignations of three senators), that the National Party were being forced into an untenable position," he said.

"She still made that decision."

Littleproud and his senators who voted against the government's hate speech legislation also knew the consequences – cabinet solidarity is a fundamental principle within the Coalition agreement.

But you won't hear that retort coming from Ley anytime soon, as the opposition leader opts to avoid speaking on the national day of mourning for the Bondi terror attack.

"That is honourable and noble and in the right spirit of a day of mourning," 9News political editor Charles Croucher said. 

"But it's also leaving a lot of airtime to be filled by others, and they will be those who are against her.

"That could be the final death knell for her in that leadership position."

Ley's stint as Liberal leader began with a similar schism, but that was repaired in relatively quick time.

This one appears far less salvageable – the only cure that could bring the two parties back together is Ley's removal.

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"We cannot be part of a shadow ministry under Sussan Ley," Littleproud said.

It leaves the Liberal Party with two options: find a new leader, or continue as the opposition on its own, with fewer than 40 lower house MPs to counter the government's 94.

"It is a mess. That is the only word for it," Croucher said.

"It's a mess that's going claim at least one scalp at some point in the coming weeks, because clearly David Littleproud and Sussan Ley can't work together."

It's those numbers in parliament that made Ley's decision to accept the resignations of the three Nationals senators who broke shadow cabinet solidarity so risky.

"You're flexing muscles you don't have," Croucher said.

"There is no room to be this boisterous and stand up to the Nationals, because this is the consequence: the Coalition is split, the opposition looks feeble, and the government's getting a free ride to start 2026."

READ MORE: 'We share their grief': Australia marks day of mourning for Bondi terror attack

Making matters worse for the now-extinct Coalition is the fact this asteroid was entirely self-inflicted.

The opposition insisted parliament be urgently recalled to pass legislation following the Bondi shooting, only to rupture over the lack of time they had to examine those laws.

"The Coalition demanded parliament comes back – parliament comes back," Croucher said

"The Coalition demands that parliament splits the bill – the government splits the bill. 

"And still, they've split Coalition on this… 

"It's a remarkable self-inflicted wound, but it's coming from a party that's been inflicting wounds on itself now for the better part of four years, and it will just continue in the four weeks ahead."

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