The foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, received a standing ovation from hundreds of Liberal party members at the Victorian state conference on Saturday.

Bishop told more than 350 members gathered in Geelong for the two-day meeting that it was never a more exciting time to be a Victorian Liberal.

She described their new federal leader Malcolm Turnbull as a “breath of fresh air” across the country.

“Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has brought a fresh, dynamic, optimistic, confident narrative,” she said. “The Australian people are listening and they like what they hear.”

Turnbull could not be at the meeting because he was in Malta for a Commonwealth heads of government meeting, she said.

Several federal Liberal ministers and MPs were at the meeting , but there was no Tony Abbott and no mention of the former prime minister.

There was also no mention of its former Victorian Liberal director Damien Mantach, who is charged with 44 counts of fraud over allegations he stole $1.5m in party funds.

The location of the meeting, Geelong, is an important city for the federal government.

Victoria’s second most marginal federal seat is Corangamite, in Geelong, and is held by Liberal member Sarah Henderson.

Bishop said she would be campaigning with Henderson in the seat.

