The home affairs minister attempted to take the party's top job in two leadership contests last August.

Asked whether he still hopes to one day lead the party, Mr Dutton has said no.

"No, for me it's very clear, and I hope this is the case, that there is now a long period of government under Scott Morrison," he has told Sky News in a special about the leadership tussle and what followed.

"I think you've got a situation now where Scott Morrison I think, will really, I think, find his stride in this three years and set us up well for another three or six beyond that.

"And I think that will be a very significant achievement."

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull called a leadership spill on a Tuesday morning last August, beating sole challenger Peter Dutton 48-35.

A second leadership ballot occurred days later after Mr Dutton was able to get a majority of Liberal MPs to sign a petition calling for a challenge.

Mr Turnbull didn't fight for his role this time but instead chose to quit parliament, leaving Mr Dutton, then-deputy leader Julie Bishop and Scott Morrison to fight it out for the position.

Mr Morrison won and went on to claim an election victory.

Mr Dutton has argued that Mr Turnbull brought on his own demise by calling the first leadership spill.

"Malcolm made a fatal decision in going into the Tuesday meeting and declaring open the leadership. I didn't go in and challenge, Malcolm had made a decision. It wasn't my intention to challenge that week," he said.

"Again, it was a demonstration in my mind of his flawed political judgement, and that's what triggered the events last August."

Former defence industry minister and retired MP Steve Ciobo also had some harsh words to say about Mr Turnbull, stemming from a "boozy dinner" he had with a former senior member of the Howard government.

"Malcolm made the remark to me, he said the problem with politics - and I'm not one to swear but I want to give an accurate portrayal - he said the problem with politics is that it f*cks people up.

"The point about that is that I think unfortunately what we've seen now in the months that have ensued, is that Malcolm in many respects has become what he was rejecting back then."

Mr Morrison, meanwhile, has credited a summer break on NSW's south coast with familiarising him with what mattered to the "quiet Australians" he believes re-elected the coalition.

He spent the January holiday at Shoalhaven Heads listening to locals.

"What struck me about all of these people, these Australians, was that they weren't wearing wristbands, they weren't activists, they weren't that involved in politics and frankly they didn't have any time for it.

"I wrote a little piece in my notebook about what they were talking about, their business, their families, their schools. And it was, if you like, a manifesto from quiet Australians.

"They for me became my absolute motivation and guide."

Winning the election, Mr Morrison says he was particularly pleased that he hasn't let such people down.

"What I was satisfied about is that my instinct about the Australian people was right...that they want to be able to continue to run their lives."

Australian Associated Press