Former prime minister Tony Abbott says dissent at his preselection meeting was an "understandable enough reaction" by some to the dumping of his successor Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Abbott was re-endorsed unopposed as the Liberal candidate for the Sydney northern beaches seat of Warringah on Friday night, despite reported grumblings from a vocal minority of members.
"It was probably inevitable that there was going to be a bit of turbulence in the wake of the former prime minister's demise," he told 2GB radio on Wednesday.
"Some of the more progressive branches were, as you can imagine, particularly committed to the former prime minister and, look, they were disappointed that he was no longer there.
"I guess what happened on Friday was an understandable enough reaction to that."
Mr Abbott said he hoped his party would now move on from the change in leadership.
"My point ... to everyone who wants to see the best possible government in Australia is that we've got to put that behind us," he said.
"I think all Liberals should be supporting each other rather than backgrounding, and leaking, and briefing anonymously against them, which sadly we saw a bit of that on Friday night."
He has maintained he's not planning to leave politics any time soon.
"Reports of my political death are greatly exaggerated."
