Liberal offers to follow Cormann into fire

Liberal senator James Paterson insists Mathias Cormann enjoys the support of his colleagues despite revelations over last year's leadership spill

Liberal Senator James Paterson also had his visa to visit China refused. Source: AAP

Revelations about last year's federal Liberal leadership spill may have shown Mathias Cormann in a bad light, but one fellow senator believes he still enjoys the respect and support of his colleagues.

Senator Cormann abandoned former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull to support his leadership rival Peter Dutton, in what proved a pivotal moment during the August showdown.

Former foreign minister Julie Bishop has gone as far as calling the finance minister "the most disloyal man in politics", in a new book by political journalist Niki Savva, a former adviser to treasurer Peter Costello.

But Liberal senator James Paterson says Senator Cormann still has "the deep respect and support" of his upper house Liberal colleagues.

"We would follow Mathias Cormann into a burning building if he asked us to," Senator Paterson told Sky News on Wednesday.

He said the minister was doing an outstanding job shepherding the government's tax cuts through the Senate this week.