Olive branch for Dutton backers

The man who triggered the political demise of Malcolm Turnbull will be resurrected by Scott Morrison in a bid to unite the government.

The Weekend Australian understands Mr Dutton would accept an offer to return as home affairs minister. Picture: AAP

The man who triggered the political demise of Malcolm Turnbull — former home affairs minister Peter Dutton — will be resurrected by Scott Morrison in a bid to unite the government and quash the civil war crippling the Liberal Party.

After Mr Morrison, the clear political winner from the shake-up was the champion of the now ­hobbled national energy guar­antee, Josh Frydenberg, who emerged from yesterday’s partyroom meeting as deputy Liberal leader and the next Treasurer.

The Victorian MP’s promotion will free the key portfolio of energy for another Coalition MP, with Mr Morrison identifying the push to reduce electricity bills as one of the key priorities of his government.

It is also expected that Mathias Cormann, who declared his support for Mr Dutton on Thursday morning, will be allowed to return to his position as government Senate leader and resume his job as ­finance minister.

On Sky News, Senator Cormann said: “Malcolm may probably not like me for some time.”

Extending an olive branch to his rival for the leadership, Mr Morrison said he would invite Mr Dutton to take on a major ministerial role and confirmed he had recommended him for the immigration portfolio in 2014.

“He has served faithfully in that role and in home affairs, and I look forward, if he so chooses, to him … playing a role in the government which I intend to lead,” Mr Morrison said.

The Weekend Australian understands Mr Dutton would accept an offer to return as home affairs minister.

In his first press conference following the ballot, Mr Morrison said his job was to “bring our party back together”. He also indicated that Julie Bishop — who contested the leadership but was eliminated in the first of two votes — could stay on in a key position.

“She has been a rock star for the Liberal Party, as a foreign minister, and for Twitter and Facebook,” Mr Morrison said. “I will be talking to her, obviously, about what role she would like to play.”

After Mr Turnbull, who yesterday confirmed his intention to bow out of politics, the biggest loser of the overhaul was his arch-rival Tony Abbott, a key ­agitator for Mr Dutton. Mr Abbott has never restored his relationship with Mr Morrison after a falling out in the wake of the September 2015 leadership coup that elevated Mr Turnbull to the prime ministership.

Speaking after the ballot, Mr Abbott said it was important to “save the government”, arguing that Liberal Party members were the “custodians of great political traditions”. “Above all else, we are pat­riots. We want to make our country as strong and as good as it possibly can be,” he said.

There remained question marks last night over the positions of up-and-coming conservatives who resigned their junior ministry positions after voting for Mr Dutton in Tuesday's partyroom ballot, including Angus Taylor, Alan Tudge, Michael Sukkar and Zed Seselja. Greg Hunt, who resigned as health minister on Wednesday, is tipped to return to the role. Mr Hunt has good relations with Mr Morrison, and Mr Frydenberg was best man at his wedding.

Other cabinet ministers who stepped down include Steve Ciobo, Michaelia Cash, Mitch Fifield and Michael Keenan. Those in the junior ministry who resigned included Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and James McGrath.