Why Scott Morrison lost the election: Ousted Liberal MP Dave Sharma gives verdict

Scott Morrison had lost credit with voters, who were starting to turn against him last year, but the Liberal Party was still right to keep him as leader, an outgoing MP says.

The former Liberal member for the NSW seat of Wentworth Dave Sharma, ousted by independent Allegra Spender, says voters in his electorate did not believe Morrison or the coalition government was sincere.

‘When you spoke to people … it was almost visceral, their reaction (to Morrison),’ Mr Sharma told ABC Radio National.

‘Undoubtedly, the (former) prime minister had lost some prestige and credit during over the last few years.’

The so-called ‘teal’ candidates like Ms Spender positioned themselves cleverly to voters as an alternative, Mr Sharma said.

But the moderate Liberal said he was not one of the MPs who urged former treasurer Josh Frydenberg – who also lost his seat to ‘teal’ independent Monique Ryan – to challenge Mr Morrison for the leadership.

In September last year, some Liberal MPs urged Mr Frydenberg to turn against the Liberal Party leader out of fear he was steering the government towards a crushing electoral defeat, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

‘When you spoke to people … it was almost visceral, their reaction (to Morrison),’ Mr Sharma told ABC Radio National (pictured, Mr Morrison with his family as he conceded defeat on Saturday night)

‘My view was, and remains, that we should stick with the leader we’ve got and take them to the election and if the electorate pronounces a verdict, as it has on this occasion, so be it,’ Mr Sharma said.

With Mr Morrison stepping down as party leader on election night, there is no better option to take the party forward than former defence minister Peter Dutton, who is widely expected to take on the role, Mr Sharma said.

‘He’s our most experienced parliamentarian … his first job and his main job is to hold the government to account and to be opposition leader,’ he said.