Reinstated Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is confident Scott Morrison can win the next election for the Liberal party, following his failed bid to secure the leadership last week.

Mr Morrison won the Liberal leadership on Friday, 45 votes to 40.

Mr Dutton tells Ben Fordham he’s “glad” the events of last week are “behind us” and he’ll be putting his full support behind the nation’s new prime minister.

“I’m glad that our party has sent a very clear message, that we’ve heard people on the need to cut electricity costs, heard people on the issues around infrastructure.

“I think there will be a lot of people that will return now to the Liberal Party to support us against Bill Shorten at the next election.”

When asked whether Scott Morrison is the right man for the job, Mr Dutton says “he is”.

“He will put forward the policies that I think Australians want, around energy, around – as I say – getting electricity prices lower.

“I believe very strongly Scott Morrison will serve us well and he will win the election.”

Mr Dutton has dodged questions on whether the “era of the political assassin is over”, following Tony Abbott’s comments on the Ray Hadley Morning program today.

“For now, I think people can see a change. They can see we’ve listened to their concerns.”

Click PLAY below for the full interview

Mr Dutton has also announced the federal government will not grant asylum to a group of Vietnamese foreign nationals, who have been detained in far north Queensland.

15 people have been taken into custody, after their fishing vessel ran aground north of Cairns.

It’s the first people-smuggling boat to reach our shores in close to four years.

“The government is not going to tolerate people coming to Australia by boat.”