Election 2022: Peter Dutton has what it takes, says Tony Abbott

Former prime minister Tony ­Abbott has backed Peter Dutton to be the next opposition leader.

Liberal MP Peter Dutton. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Former prime minister Tony ­Abbott has backed Peter Dutton to be the next opposition leader, with the Liberals and Nationals due to meet separately on Monday to ­determine who the new leaders of the Coalition will be.

While Mr Dutton is certain to emerge as Liberal Party leader, Barnaby Joyce could be replaced despite the Nationals retaining all of their 16 seats at the election.

Ahead of the partyroom meetings, Mr Abbott told The Weekend Australian that Mr Dutton had “exactly what it takes to be an effective opposition leader: courage, convictions and temperament”.

But Mr Joyce is urging colleagues not to vote for change, ­arguing that his party’s strong performance is evidence that he should stay on as leader despite former veteran affairs minister Darren Cheste revealing he will contest the leadership.

“I welcome that,” Mr Joyce said. “I congratulate him for the honesty of making it public. But I stand by my record. We won back all seats at the election.”

Mr Joyce also hosed down the idea the National Party was at fault for the Coalition’s election loss. “We held on to every seat when the Liberals lost 19,” he said. “We are not the Liberals’ excuse.”

The leaders of both parties will need to negotiate a new Coalition agreement and select the frontbench line-up.

Mr Dutton has attempted to soften his image in the days leading up to the vote, committing to making the opposition a “broad church” representing all Australians rather than shifting to the left or right.

It followed the Liberal Party losing a number of its moderates to the teal independents, including Dave Sharma, Tim Wilson and former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, which sparked debate over the ­direction of the party.

For the Nationals, Mr Chester said he also believed a new direction was necessary. “I think it’s ­important we listen to the message we received over the weekend from the Australian people,” he told the ABC. “I think they want us to be perhaps more moderate and more respectful in public debates in this country. They want a ­calmer democracy … and I think I can offer that to the room.”

Mr Chester said he expected he would not be the only Nationals MP to put up his hand for the leadership, with questions over ­whether current deputy David Littleproud will step up.

A number of Mr Chester’s colleagues said if there was ever a time for change “it was now”, with hopes Mr Chester or Mr Littleproud could unite the Nationals.

Questions were also cast over whether Mr Joyce was best to lead the party given his internal opposition to the hard-fought net-zero by 2050 commitment. Mr Joyce said the partyroom would decide its view on net zero.

“In all things after an election there is a discussion,” he said on Monday. “That’s not saying we’re going to drop it (or) we’re going to stick with it. That’s saying that we allow people the dignity of the room to reflect back on what was pertinent in their electorates.”

But others said it was not time for a leadership change given the Nationals’ comparative success, and stressed a leadership spill would be disruptive. “The (election) results speak for themselves,” one National MP said.

Mr Joyce regained the Nationals leadership last year after a three-year stint on the backbench, toppling Michael Mc­Cormack.