The parties have been riven by very real personal and ideological tensions before, and still have joined forces when moments of truth have arrived.

Together in various forms for the best part of 100 years, the thrice-divorced Liberal-National Coalition is again trialling a conscious uncoupling. What does that mean for the federal parliament?

Australia’s decades-long Liberal-National tie-up will end after the leader of the National Party, David Littleproud, said his party won’t form another coalition agreement with the Liberal Party.