The man who led the nationals from the Liberals during his last divorce believes that the coalition partners will eventually come back.
Ian Sinclair was the leader of the Nationals during the five-month separation of the coalition in 1987, which was triggered by the then Prime Minister Joh Bjelke-Petersen's after entering the federal parliament.
The “Joh for Canberra” campaign brought a wedge through conservative politics and collapsed without widespread support.
Mr. Sinclair is confident that the recent attempt to test will not last forever, and says that a separation after an election is not unusual and problems are finally solved.
“It has already happened and will happen again,” the 95-year-old told AAP.
“It's pretty healthy.”
Party leader David LittleProud pulled out the nationals from the coalition after the liberal leader Sussan Ley said that she could not commit to four political requirements, including nuclear power in the context of an energy policy.
Ms. Ley did not reject the guidelines, but said that she could not commit to anything before her party had the chance to have an open discussion about politics after a massive election on May 3.
Mr. LittleProud and Mrs. Ley say that their doors are open to the new negotiation of a coalition.
But liberal sources believe that the nationals were not serious to sign a deal because they urged to not fulfill a claim they knew.
This also included that Mr. LittleProud became more deputy opposition leader than the Liberals second-in command.
The senator of the nationals, Bridget McKenzie, said that politics of politics was the only thing that was considered their party space when they decide.
But she showed herself on the tip of the toe whether a claim for nationals had been made in the shadow cabinet to vote against the coalition policy.
Members of the shadow cabinet – together from liberals and citizens, when the coalition opposes – must vote in accordance with determined political positions in order to show solidarity.
When asked whether Mr. LittleProud could have inserted the clause in his list of claims, Senator McKenzie told ABC 7.30 program: “There are many discussions about what could be part of a wider coalition agreement if we could come past the first goal.”
But a spokesman for Ms. Ley said it was not correct that the solidarity of the cabinet is not a problem.
“We have in writing that this was a prerequisite for our leader's office,” he said, although the letter was not published publicly.
Senator McKenzie realized that the result of the separation in the 2028 elections was at risk when the Nationals run in some states, including their house in Victoria, on a joint ticket with the liberals.
The same applies to the National Senator Ross Cadell in NSW.
Without a combined coordination, the nationals could have difficulty maintaining the quotas required in every state to keep their seats if they do not run candidates in metropolises.
“Keep in mind that these decisions and these negotiations are part of our state corporations … We were all risks and made our decision independently,” said Senator McKenzie.
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