Matt Canavan was elected as the new Nationals leader on Wednesday, with Victorian MP Darren Chester elevated to deputy after David Littleproud announced he was "buggered" and quit the role. The Queensland senator moved quickly to form what he called a "posse of patriots" for the Coalition's shadow frontbench, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, though that team notably excluded Littleproud despite the former leader indicating he would remain available for such a position.
Littleproud's absence from Canavan's frontbench comes after a strained period for the Nationals. The former Nationals leader's departure shocked members of his party as well as backers of ousted Liberal leader Sussan Ley, after Mr Littleproud split the coalition twice. On 10 March 2026, Littleproud announced his resignation from his position as the leader of the Nationals, citing himself as "buggered", he intends to remain in parliament as member for Maranoa though. When resigning, Littleproud also declared his intention to remain in parliament, leaving the door open to serving on the frontbench.
Canavan's relationship with Littleproud appeared respectful in tone, with the new leader acknowledging his predecessor's record. However, Canavan challenged Littleproud in the immediate aftermath of the Coalition's devastating May election defeat but failed to convince his colleagues to oust the incumbent. The new Nationals leader has signalled a reset for the party as it confronts a weakened Coalition position. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor toppled Ms Ley in February, with the new Liberal and Nationals leaders vowing at their first joint press conference to work through any future disagreements to prevent another split.
The timing of Littleproud's departure and Canavan's ascension reflects broader turmoil in Australian politics. Recent polling reveals the scale of the challenge facing the rejuvenated Coalition partnership. According to the Resolve Political Monitor polling conducted from March 9 to 14, One Nation's primary vote has pushed above the Coalition to sit at 24 per cent, with the federal opposition at a record low of 22 per cent. Labor's primary vote fell back to 29 per cent from 31 per cent in February.
A dramatic surge in the support for One Nation in recent months has put Littleproud under intense pressure to try to combat that party's increasing attraction to many voters who formerly supported the Nationals. Although the Nationals held their lower house seats at the election, since then two of their high profile MPs have defected: Jacinta Nampijinpa Price went to the Liberals immediately after the election, and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce jumped to One Nation.
Canavan has pledged stronger coalition discipline and unity. "Matt and I have worked together over many, many years very successfully and we have a very strong, long standing relationship and we are both strong coalitionists," Mr Taylor told reporters while at a Canberra steel manufacturer on Thursday. Whether this repair work can arrest the Coalition's polling decline or reverse One Nation's momentum remains uncertain. The party has two years to rebuild before the next federal election, and the stakes of maintaining Coalition cohesion have been made clear by the instability of recent months.