Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has denied dirty tricks hampered his West Australian colleague Julie Bishop's efforts to become Liberal Party leader.
Ms Bishop was the party's deputy leader for more than a decade but was knocked out in the first round of voting during in Friday's leadership ballot after Malcolm Turnbull called a spill.
The 62-year-old stepped down as foreign minister on Sunday after five years in the job.
She has since told the West Australian she is aware of claims an online message app has been used by MPs to frighten her supporters into backing new Prime Minister Scott Morrison ahead of the spill.
But Senator Cormann says he doesn't believe she was the victim of dirty tricks.
"I mean, I don't know. Not from my point of view," he told ABC News on Monday.
The minister, who backed Peter Dutton to become prime minister, said rumours he had been involved in such tactics were untrue.
"I can completely and categorically rule out any such tricks, as you call it," he said.
"At all points in time, I've tried to make judgements based on what I believe to be the right way forward, and I've explained myself openly and transparently in private and in public."
Ms Bishop's tenure as foreign minister has been widely praised.
Mr Morrison said he had wanted Ms Bishop to stay on as foreign minister but accepted her decision to step aside.
Former defence minister Marise Payne, who worked closely with Ms Bishop, moves into the role.
Ms Bishop will now sit on the back bench as the member for the Perth seat of Curtin, but her political future is in doubt.
"I have been pre-selected by the Liberal Party for the seat of Curtin and I have made no decision regarding the next election," she said.
