In a surprising move, three National Party senators have resigned from the opposition frontbench after crossing the floor to vote against the Labor government’s hate speech bill. Coalition leader Susan Ley accepted the resignations of Ross Cadell, Bridget McKenzie, and Susan McDonald on Wednesday, a day after they defied the shadow cabinet’s position on the contentious legislation.
The move marks the latest challenge to Ley’s authority and that of National Party leader David Littleproud. Under parliamentary convention, frontbenchers are expected to vote in line with the shadow cabinet’s decisions or resign their roles. In a statement, Ley made it clear that shadow cabinet solidarity “is not optional.”
“When the Coalition reformed in May last year, the foundational principle underpinning that agreement was a commitment to shadow cabinet solidarity,” Ley said. “Yesterday, in several conversations, I made it clear to David Littleproud that members of the shadow cabinet could not vote against the shadow cabinet position… this is an unfortunate circumstance and one that requires action.”
Ley has asked Littleproud to nominate three other National Party members to join the frontbench, replacing the trio who resigned. The move has sparked speculation of a potential mass walkout by National Party MPs, with some senior Coalition sources suggesting a “one-in, all-in” approach where all shadow ministers, including Littleproud, could quit the frontbench if Ley sacks the three senators.
The hate speech legislation, which passed the Senate in a late-night vote, will allow the government to designate organizations as “hate groups” and give the Home Affairs Minister additional grounds to cancel or reject visas, as well as introduce tougher penalties for religious and spiritual leaders who promote violence.
The resignations highlight the ongoing tensions within the Coalition, which briefly split after the May election when the National Party had tried to strong-arm Ley into signing on to a deal that would make nuclear policy, a regional future fund, and powers to break up supermarkets part of the Coalition’s policy platform. The two leaders eventually returned to the negotiating table, and the Coalition reunited a week later.
