Coalition in freefall as Nationals quite shadow cabinet en masse

The Coalition is in freefall after the entire Nationals' frontbench, including leader David Littleproud, quit over the fallout from a revolt in the Senate. 

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley called the mass resignation "unnecessary" as she fought to keep the Coalition together for the second time in less than a year.

The Nationals walkout was triggered by division over the federal government's new hate speech laws, after three Nationals senators who refused to join the Liberals in voting for the reforms were forced to hand in their resignations today.

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This prompted Littleproud to write a bombshell letter to Ley threatening that if she accepted the resignations, the entire Nationals shadow ministry would resign "to take collective responsibility".

"Opposing this bill was a party room decision. The entire National Party shadow ministry is equally bound," Littleproud wrote, in a letter first reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Ley confirmed in a statement today she had accepted the resignations of senators Susan McDonald, Bridget McKenzie and Ross Cadell.

Tonight, mass resignation went from a threat to reality as all remaining frontbench Nationals quit following a momentous 24 hours in Canberra, sparking a crisis within the Coalition less than a year after a short-lived split following the May election

Ley called the resignations "unnecessary" and said she wouldn't make any "permanent" changes to the shadow minister to give the junior partner "time to reconsider these offers of resignation".

"The Liberal Party supports the Coalition arrangements because they deliver the most effective political alliance for good government," she said in a statement released late tonight. 

"I note that in David's letter, he has not indicated that the Nationals are leaving the Coalition."

But 9News chief political editor Charles Croucher said future of the Coalition appeared "unworkable" and it was "unlikely" Ley would remain in her job. 

The new hate speech and gun laws were passed last night after a long night of voting in the Senate.

The Coalition decided to back the Albanese government's reforms, which it had earlier threatened to derail after clamouring for a rapid response to the Bondi Beach antisemitic terror attack.

But McDonald, McKenzie and Cadell broke ranks to vote against the bill in the Senate.

Ley earlier said the senators had been asked to continue to serve the Coalition but from outside of the shadow cabinet.

"Yesterday, in several conversations, I made it clear to David Littleproud that members of the shadow cabinet could not vote against the shadow cabinet position," Ley said earlier.

"The shadow cabinet was unanimous in its endorsement to support this bill subject to several amendments that we did then secure.

"This has been acknowledged by Nationals' senators this morning."

She asked Littleproud to put forward three replacement ministers but he opted not to.

Liberal Senate leader Michaelia Cash and deputy leader Ted O'Brien remain in the shadow cabinet despite abstaining from the vote.

The hate laws will create powers for authorities to designate certain organisations as "hate groups", allowing members and donors alike to face possible jail time.

It will create new aggravated offences for religious or spiritual leaders who advocate violence, as well as penalise religious leaders who preach hate to children.

The new framework will also give ministers more powers to cancel or refuse visas to those who spread hate or extremist views.

The new gun laws, which were voted against by the Coalition, One Nation and United Australia Party senators but supported by the Greens, will limit the imports of guns to Australian citizens.

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