Nationals Hate Speech Standoff: Three Senior MPs' Futures Uncertain

The future of three senior Nationals who voted against the Coalition's official position on hate speech reforms is in doubt, as both Liberals and Nationals mull whether the trio must resign for breaching cabinet solidarity. Parliament returned early to respond to the Bondi terror attack following strident demands by Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. But the Coalition has now divided over the reforms that Ms Ley demanded parliament return early to vote on. The junior Coalition party is meeting this morning in the wake of the split vote to determine what follows next. Nationals MPs speaking on condition of anonymity say it may mean the resignations of shadow ministers Bridget McKenzie, Susan McDonald and Ross Cadell, who are required to uphold the party's convention of "cabinet solidarity", meaning they must adhere to decisions taken by cabinet. Speaking on Sky News, Senator McKenzie openly conceded last night's decision to oppose reforms to Australia's hate speech laws could cost the trio their ministries. Asked whether she had breached cabinet solidarity, Senator McKenzie responded that she was "aware" of the rules she was bound by. "I'm very aware of the conventions of parliament, and I will be doing what I've always done [which] is trying to do my very best to conduct my career here with integrity," Senator McKenzie said. 'Significant improvements to legislation' Earlier yesterday, when the reforms were put to a vote in the House of Representatives, Nationals leader David Littleproud also chose not to support the bill, abstaining from the vote. In a statement overnight, Mr Littleproud said the Nationals supported the "intent" of laws to combat hate speech and extremism, but could not support reforms that would curtail freedom of speech and would vote against the bill if its amendments were not accepted. "This decision does not reflect on the relationship within the Coalition," Mr Littleproud added. "The Coalition has secured significant improvements to the legislation, but The Nationals’ party room has concluded that more time is required to more fully examine and test the Bill before it is finalised." Some Liberal Party MPs are also questioning Mr Littleproud's future, with the party meeting this morning to discuss the split. But other MPs are questioning whether convention still holds given the extraordinary circumstances of the reforms, which were hurriedly drafted in the wake of the Bondi terror attack and passed in two sitting days after parliament was recalled early to deal with the matter. Shadow Attorney-General Andrew Wallace said there were "extenuating circumstances" surrounding the bill that should be taken into account. "This bill was incredibly rushed. it was ill thought through in the first instance," he said. Last night's vote is the latest major divide between the Liberals and Nationals, who have maintained a shaky alliance since the Coalition's sweeping defeat at the May federal election. The two parties briefly ended their Coalition agreement after the election over several policy differences, and a claim by Opposition Leader Sussan Ley that the Nationals were seeking to break cabinet solidarity on matters of significance. When the parties reunited, Ms Ley said in a statement that the Nationals had agreed to respect cabinet solidarity, with Mr Littleproud suggesting it had never been a real concern. At a press conference following the Coalition's reunion, Mr Littleproud said he did not want to see a chaotic partyroom. "I don't want a free-for-all in my partyroom, I want to know that we respect the structures and processes that we have [had] for 80-plus years," he said at the time.