Three Nationals shadow cabinet members have resigned their positions after breaking ranks and defying Opposition leader Sussan Ley.
Parliament reconvened on Monday for two emergency sitting days to pass a suite of hate laws, gun reform and migration changes in response to the Bondi terror attack.
After multiple calls with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Ley struck a deal with Labor, claiming to "fix" the hate law legislation with technical amendments, including tightening the definition of a hate preacher and setting up stricter parliamentary oversight.
When the legislation went to a vote at 10pm on Tuesday, three National shadow cabinet members — Ross Cadell, Bridget McKenzie and Susan McDonald — as well as backbencher Matt Canavan, voted against it.
Ley said the trio offered to resign their positions for defying "cabinet solidarity", which she said "bound" them "not to vote against the legislation", having originally agreed to the amendments at a cabinet meeting on Sunday night.
Ley spent the morning in meetings before announcing on Wednesday afternoon she had accepted their resignations from the shadow cabinet.
"Last night, three Nationals senators were unable to maintain that Shadow Cabinet solidarity. This is an unfortunate circumstance and one that requires action," she said in a statement.
"I have asked each to continue serving in our Coalition team, across their various parliamentary and committee duties, but from outside the Shadow Cabinet".
Ley said she is now waiting for Nationals leader David Littleproud to nominate three replacements from within his party room.
The incident has raised doubts over how the Opposition can function if Liberals and the Nationals do not vote together.
Ley has faced repeated defiance within the shadow cabinet. Last year, she was forced to sack Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, after she failed to apologise over controversial comments about Indian migration and didn't endorse her leader.
A month later, Andrew Hastie stepped down, saying he wanted the freedom to be vocal on immigration policy.
Defiant Nationals trio accept 'consequences'
Nationals senator Cadell said before Ley's statement on Wednesday he was "willing to take the consequences of my actions".
"I think that is fair and what I should do, I can't do the crime. If I'm not prepared to do the time," he told reporters on Wednesday morning.
McKenzie said she had tried to "act with integrity" during the vote, but felt Albanese had forced their hand to vote against the laws.
"If he [Albanese] really wanted a bipartisan approach, he would have heeded our calls in the wake of the attack, sat down with the parties of government and actually developed an appropriate response," she said.
Queensland senator McDonald clarified her resignation on Wednesday afternoon, stating it was the result of a decision by the Nationals party room.
"I support both the intent of the legislation and the Coalition's firm stance against antisemitism, hate and extremism," she said in a statement.
Australia also tightened its gun laws on Tuesday with the support of the Greens. The laws make it harder to get licences and provide for the removal of firearms from the community.
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