Current and former New South Wales Nationals MPs have shot down their federal counterparts’ move to split from the Coalition, with one saying it was a “distasteful” move that would diminish rural issues in the halls of power.
Former state deputy leader Adrian Piccoli also backed Liberal leader Sussan Ley’s decision not to acquiesce to the federal Nationals’ demands, saying she was right not to lock in a position on policies so quickly.
But another senior member, who spoke to Guardian Australia on condition of anonymity, said he wasn’t surprised by the split and that it speaks to “a wider problem about the way that the Liberal party and the National party interact” at the state and federal levels.
The federal Nationals dropped a political bombshell on Tuesday, revealing they would split from the Liberals after the disastrous election defeat. It came after the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, refused to immediately sign up to the country party’s policy demands or grant Nationals MPs in shadow cabinet the freedom to break ranks.
The policy demands included having the Coalition re-commit to positions on nuclear power, a $20bn regional future fund, breaking-up powers for supermarkets and reliable phone and internet access in the bush.
One senior NSW Nationals MP told Guardian Australia on condition of anonymity that the timing of the demands and split was “distasteful” given Ley’s mother had just died, and there was little opportunity given for further discussion.
The MP also argued the split was a “poor decision” given it would diminish the Nationals relevance and its power to advocate for rural communities.
“I think the clock is now probably ticking for Littleproud,” they said.
Piccoli, a former Nationals deputy leader and education minister during the Berejiklian government, and who quit politics in 2017, said the split was not a good idea.
“I think they’re stronger together than they are separated,” he said, adding it was also important for the Nationals to still keep their separate identity.
Piccoli said Ley was right to not acquiesce to the Nationals’ demands so quickly.
“Sussan Ley was right [in saying] ‘we’ve just lost an election. We need to reconsider all of this, not lock in our position on day one’,” Piccoli said.
But another current NSW Nationals MP said he thinks Ley should have agreed to the federal Nationals’ demands, given they did “reasonably well” in the election.
“We’re the ones that basically saved the furniture, and yet they’re still trying to determine policy positions outside of us,” he said.
He also took aim at the NSW Coalition, saying the federal split reflects a wider issue.
He said the Liberal party often uses the “bigger party” argument to push back on Nationals’ demands.
He said he agrees with comments made by former prime minister John Howard after the split that the Coalition resolves policy differences via “plenty of trust”, and while “you never get everything you want in a partnership” the National party is “entitled to have some wins”.
However, the MP said he didn’t think was the approach being taken in NSW.
“I think that maturity and approach to a coalition isn’t what you see from [NSW Liberal leader] Mark Speakman and [deputy Liberal leader] Natalie Ward, and that obviously creates disquiet,” the MP said.
On Tuesday the NSW Nationals leader, Dugald Saunders, released a joint statement with the Liberal leader, Mark Speakman, saying: “In NSW the Liberals and National enjoy a strong working relationship.”
Speakman and Saunders were contacted for comment.
