Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has had a rugged start as leader. With Liberal rivals Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie circling for her position, Ley needs to not only survive, but rebuild her party from its historic lows in the polls.

Just hours after Labor announced a new deal with the Greens to pass new environment laws, and former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce quit his party and the Coalition, Ley joined us on the podcast.

On Joyce’s defection to become an independent MP and potentially join One Nation, Ley said she would leave the commentary to others.

Barnaby, while being a friend of mine – has been for many years, we’re both long-term colleagues in the parliament – is a free agent when it comes to why he’s leaving the Nationals, what he’s going to do next.

These are all matters for him I wouldn’t commentate on. And I don’t sit in the Nationals’ party room. So I really can’t comment on what goes on there, or what any of the thinking might be right now.

With respect to our coalition with the Nationals, I do want to say this: that we are stronger........

© The Conversation