Scott Morrison has revealed Tony Abbott offered him the jobs of treasurer and deputy Liberal leader hours before Malcolm Turnbull toppled the former prime minister.
In a heated interview with 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley on Friday, the cabinet minister also said he warned Mr Abbott's office a week ago that things were "febrile" inside the party and they should be on "high alert".
When asked if later he thought Mr Abbott listened to his warning, Mr Morrison told reporters: "I don't know".
Mr Morrison said Mr Abbott offered him Joe Hockey's job, as well as Julie Bishop's - an offer he rejected because it wasn't "thoroughly thought through".
"I didn't understand why he wanted me to pick a fight with Joe Hockey and throw him under the bus and pick a fight with Julie Bishop, who I have no grievance with," he told Hadley.
Mr Morrison spoke to Mr Hockey after the offer was made, but would not reveal how the treasurer reacted.
He denied reports Mr Turnbull was guaranteed to elevate him to treasurer in a new-look cabinet due to be sworn-in on Monday.
Mr Morrison also took issue with Hadley's suggestion he could have ordered his six closest supporters to back Mr Abbott and potentially keep him safe.
He was "not Bill Shorten" and didn't tell factional colleagues how to vote.
"I should have got them to act like robots and do something against their judgment? That is what you are asking me to do?" he said.
Mr Morrison said he voted for Mr Abbott and gave him "utter loyalty".
The interview took a testy turn when Hadley accused the minister of misleading listeners to his program, which is networked to dozens of radio station around Australia.
Mr Morrison took offence when he was asked to swear on a Bible.
"I don't see what my faith has got to do with it," he told Hadley.
"You get to judge my policies but you don't get to judge my faith. I haven't misled you in any of our discussions over years."
Later, Mr Morrison accused Hadley of bullying.
"I won't be bullied by anybody in this place or outside this place, I'm my own man," he told reporters.
But the pair's relationship may not be entirely irretrievable.
"I'm a forgiving sort of person," Mr Morrison said.
"Stuff happens, we build a bridge and we get over it, don't we?"
