"I'm pleased that Scott Morrison has been elected prime minister - I think it's a good day for our country," he told the ABC at a Canberra restaurant, where he was dining with family.



"I think it's a turning point and a healing point for the Liberal Party, I think we now look forward instead of back."



Mr Dutton said animosity had run deep within the party ever since Mr Turnbull deposed Tony Abbott in 2015.



"We now draw a line under all of that," he said.



Lack of loyalty in the days and weeks leading up to his second failed challenge drew a sharp slap from Mr Turnbull on his way out the door.



"Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott and others who chose to deliberately attack the government from within, they did so because they wanted to bring the government down," the outgoing prime minister said.



Mr Dutton brushed off the fierce criticism from his former leader.



"I would rise above it because there's a lot of emotion and rewriting of history," Mr Dutton said hours after the spill.



"I only nominated because I believe that I was a better person and a person of greater strength and integrity to lead the Liberal Party."