"I would not be making implied comments about the leadership of the Liberal Party, and we don't expect to get implied comments about the leadership of the National Party." Fuelling anger within the Nationals is the personal attack on Mr Joyce - which the Deputy PM was completely unprepared for - adding to the sense that a line had been crossed and trust had been eroded between the leaders. MPs from both parties are now canvassing a relationship that will become more transactional, keeping the government afloat but doing little to cool tensions in the Coalition party room. Illustration: Matt Golding Joyce supporters believe the Nationals leader has been a strong ally for the Prime Minister at tough times, keeping dissident backbenchers in line despite the government's consistently poor polling.

There is also a lingering view on both sides that Mr Joyce's time as leader could be limited, as MPs return to their electorates to inspect the damage from a catastrophic fortnight for the Coalition. Nationals backbencher Andrew Broad - notably aligned with Mr Joyce's factional rivals in Victoria - said he was "still waiting to see the evidence there's been an abuse of power" by Mr Joyce. "If I see that and it's clear, well then I'll be one of the people talking about what should be the action as a result of that," he told ABC radio. Another Nationals MP, who declined to be named, said his colleagues would initially "dig in" behind Mr Joyce, but when they spoke to constituents they would find their leader was not popular and they were "bleeding votes". "Malcolm's trying to save the government," the MP said. But Joyce allies were indignant at the Prime Minister's spray, not only for its harsh personal commentary but for re-igniting the story after Mr Joyce was poised to end the sitting fortnight with his job intact.

Mr Joyce said the Mr Turnbull's speech had "pull[ed] the scab off for everybody to have a look at". Labor leader Bill Shorten said the government was now in a "full-blown crisis" and Mr Turnbull had to sack his deputy (although the Prime Minister lacks the power to do that directly). "Yesterday, Malcolm Turnbull declared war on Mr Joyce. Today, Mr Joyce has declared war on Mr Turnbull," Mr Shorten said in Melbourne. "Australians have every reason to be angry and frustrated when the two most senior Australian leaders are not focused on anything other than their own jobs." On Friday, Mr Turnbull doubled down, suggesting his sentiments about Mr Joyce's behaviour were shared by "many members off the National Party itself". He also denied trying to interfere in the affairs of the Nationals and said he had not told Mr Joyce to resign but to "form [a] view on his own circumstances".

Senior ministers insisted the Coalition could break through the impasse. Treasurer Scott Morrison said Mr Joyce and Mr Turnbull were "professional men" and "I'm sure as leaders they will able to work together". He also revealed the cabinet did not find out that Mr Joyce’s partner, Vikki Campion, was pregnant with his child until it was splashed across the front page of newspapers last week. On Friday, Mr Turnbull confirmed he had heard rumours about the affair, but said: "It was not my job to investigate." Revelations of the affair prompted the Prime Minister to introduce a ban on ministers having sexual relations with their staff, a move that has been welcomed by senior ministers but ridiculed by others, including outspoken Nationals MP George Christensen, who called it "bonkers". Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said it was a "smokescreen", and Labor was still weighing up whether to hold its own team to the same standards.