The self-destruction of the Coalition since the last election has played out like a Shakespearian tragedy.
After having been decimated by voters in 2025, the leader was turfed, a review was called, and Sussan Ley chosen to lead the party.
The Nationals, buoyed by a relatively strong showing at the election, in that they didn't lose any lower house seats, decided to go their own way after refusing to budge on several policy issues including the nuclear energy commitment, rather than have a review of all policies.
The Nationals eventually came back to the fold but since then the disagreements have continued in private and sometimes publicly.
The defection of former leader Barnaby Joyce, who refused to sit on the backbench representing his electorate, choosing instead to join One Nation, added salt to the wounds.
The Coalition's decision to politicise the Bondi tragedy and push the government to recall parliament backfired this week as the party differences in the Coalition manifested themselves in the senate.
By voting against the shadow cabinet, senators Bridget McKenzie, Susan McDonald and Ross Cadell knew they would have to offer their resignations, almost daring Ley to accept them, which she did - leading in turn to the Nationals announcing they could not remain in the Coalition while Ley was leader.
Whether the Libs ignore their junior partner's threats or decide to oust Ley is probably irrelevant, because the scars from this debacle will remain.
While the immediate winner appears to be One Nation, the biggest loser is the Australian voter, left without an effective, coherent, stable opposition.
