Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has hit back at old colleagues amid criticism of his actions during last year's leadership spill.

Key points: Concerns about Peter Dutton's eligibility were raised during the leadership spill

Concerns about Peter Dutton's eligibility were raised during the leadership spill Malcolm Turnbull says he acted responsibly amid the uncertainty of Mr Dutton's status

Malcolm Turnbull says he acted responsibly amid the uncertainty of Mr Dutton's status Mr Dutton says Mr Turnbull used s44 as a delaying tactic to damage him

Mr Turnbull has faced reports he tried to salvage his leadership by raising constitutional doubts about the parliamentary eligibility of his rival, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

Mr Dutton moved to end questions about that eligibility on Thursday, renouncing his interest in a family trust that owns two Brisbane childcare centres.

The Australian and Nine newspapers reported Attorney-General Christian Porter clashed with Mr Turnbull, who allegedly wanted the Governor-General to play a decisive role in the August leadership spill.

Mr Turnbull, on Twitter, did not comment on those allegations, but insisted his actions were appropriate.

Appearing on Perth radio station 6PR, Mr Porter did not dispute reports he advised Mr Turnbull against approaching the Governor-General, arguing any advice about a potential High Court decision was a matter for the party room to consider.

"The view I have taken has been fairly accurately reported I think," Mr Porter said.

"The job of the Attorney-General is to provide advice that he or she considers is accurate and legally correct and sometimes that advice is not always what people want to hear.

"But I've always taken seriously the role, and the fact that role requires to give advice to the best of your legal knowledge and ability you think is accurate correct, that's what I've always tried to do.

"That's what I did in the course of that very difficult week, that's what I'm going to do today, and keep doing tomorrow."

Attorney-General Christian Porter. ( ABC News: James Carmody )

The meeting was held in August, to discuss legal advice on whether Mr Dutton had breached section 44 of the constitution because of his financial interests in childcare centres that received money from the Commonwealth.

At the same time, Mr Dutton was preparing to mount a leadership challenge against Mr Turnbull.

Mr Porter confirmed the discussion with Mr Turnbull was tense.

"Well, sometimes meetings in government aren't all potpourri and roses mate, but you know, that's life," he said.

Turnbull defends action

Mr Turnbull insisted he took the "responsible course of action" amid the uncertainty over Mr Dutton's eligibility to sit in the Parliament.

"During the week of 24 August 2018 there was advice from leading constitutional lawyers Bret Walker that Dutton was ineligible to sit in the Parliament and thus ineligible to be a Minister, let alone Prime Minister. I ensured we sought the advice of the Solicitor General," Mr Turnbull tweeted on Thursday.

"The [Solicitor General's] advice was delivered on the morning of Friday 24th and duly published.

"His advice was that 'the better view' was that Dutton was eligible but it was 'impossible to state that position with certainty' and there was 'some risk' the High Court would rule he was ineligible.

"I took the responsible course of action, obtained the necessary advice, published it and the Party Room was informed when it made its decision to elect Mr Morrison, rather than Mr Dutton, as leader.

"The discretion to swear in a person as PM is vested in the Governor-General. The proposition advanced by Mr Porter that it is none of the GG's business whether the would be PM is constitutionally eligible is nonsense. The GG is not a constitutional cypher."

Loading

Dutton says s44 used as delaying tactic

As Mr Turnbull was reopening the Liberal Party's leadership wounds, Mr Dutton released a statement revealing he had relinquished his interest in the two childcare centres.

Mr Dutton has repeatedly denied he is in breach of section 44 of the constitution, but a spokeswoman revealed he formally renounced any interest in the trust before he nominated for the election.

"The Minister has received two unambiguous legal opinions from leading barristers specialising in constitutional law, including former Solicitor-General David Bennett AC QC, which advised he was not in breach of section 44," the spokeswoman said.

"These legal opinions are supported by the Solicitor-General who concluded in his legal advice that in his opinion the better view was that the Minister was not in breach of section 44.

"Nonetheless, to silence those who are politically motivated and continue to raise this; prior to the Minister's nomination at the May election, he formally renounced any interest in the trust in question."

Loading

On Sydney radio station 2GB, Mr Dutton praised Mr Porter for his actions in the clash with the then-prime minister.

"Christian Porter is a person of great integrity and decency. And he really impressed me during that week because he didn't take sides, he looked at what needed to be doing as the Attorney-General of this country," Mr Dutton said.

"It was a gutsy move, and he deserves full credit for it."

Mr Dutton said he did not believe Mr Turnbull had serious constitutional concerns about his parliamentary validity.

"Asking me to come back as Home Affairs Minister after I had resigned on the Tuesday demonstrates he had no concern for my eligibility to sit in the Parliament, section 44 was always a ruse, the Labor Party never raised it, it was only used as a delaying tactic to damage me."