Tom McIlroy

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Dan Jervis-Bardy |Tom McIlroy |Krishani Dhanji

Liberal MPs are prepared to accept the Nationals’ watered-down demands to preserve the Coalition, clearing the path to reunite the parties after a dramatic split that has exposed deep internal divisions, bruised both leaders and bolstered Anthony Albanese’s grip on power. But the split is expected to have ongoing repercussions even if it is patched up, as both sides privately accuse the other of capitulating during negotiations.

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Tom McIlroy |Adam Morton

The environment minister, Murray Watt, has knocked back two last-minute objections to Woodside’s North West Shelf extension, clearing the way for a final decision on the controversial development. Greenpeace and the Conservation Council of Western Australia were among groups opposing the expansion who were denied reconsideration related to the project, communicated to them via Watt’s department of climate change, energy, the environment and water on Thursday.

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Tom McIlroy

When David Littleproud travelled to Sussan Ley’s home base of Albury for Coalition talks last week, the Nationals leader arrived with a list of impossible demands. In town to negotiate a new cooperation agreement between the Liberal party and the Nationals for the coming term of parliament, Littleproud was under pressure to secure major concessions. Despite the Coalition’s electoral drubbing on 3 May, the Nationals felt emboldened by mostly holding their numbers and therefore wanted more clout.

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Tom McIlroy

When David Cameron was elected leader of the UK Conservatives in 2005, he faced up to the party’s existential problem. The Tories were out of touch with voters and no longer looked anything like the modern British electorate. Smashed in three general elections by Tony Blair’s New Labour, Cameron’s party had 198 MPs, but only 17 were women and just two came from multicultural backgrounds. There were more people named David in the shadow cabinet than women.

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Tom McIlroy

The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, says progress on a new cooperation agreement with the Nationals will take time, promising productive talks amid an internal push to ditch net zero policies and even end the longstanding coalition with the Liberals. Ley met with Nationals leader David Littleproud in Albury on Thursday, the first formal talks between the pair since the Coalition was thrashed in the 3 May election.