Peter Dutton faced no rivals on his way to officially becoming the new Opposition Leader.
But in the days leading up to the partyroom vote, Liberal MPs had voiced concern he'd be "hard to sell" in places like Victoria, where "teal" independents snapped up Kooyong and Goldstein, and that had he had an image problem.
So what has his first press conference as Opposition Leader revealed?
'We won't be Labor light'
Mr Dutton said their policies will be aimed at the "forgotten Australians" in the suburbs.
"To win the next election, we're not going to abandon any seat," he said.
He said the Liberal party would stay "true to our values", adding "we won't be Labor light."
He said the Greens gaining four seats in the lower house was "very unfortunate" and called it a protest vote.
On policies like a federal anti-corruption commission, he said he's a "strong supporter". Scott Morrison had pledged during the 2019 election campaign to set up an anti-corruption commission, but it didn't happen.
Mr Dutton said he was "keen to engage" with independent MP Helen Haines, who had a bill before parliament on the issue.
"I believe in transparency and I always have," he said.
"I think one of the greatest things that happened post the Fitzgerald inquiry era in Queensland was that there was continuing scrutiny, which I think has stood our state in good stead."
'I made a mistake'
Mr Dutton called his boycott of Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008 "a mistake", but said it was because of his background working as a police officer in Queensland.
"I remember going to many domestic violence instances, particularly involving Indigenous communities, and for me at the time I believed that the apology should be given when the problems were resolved and the problems are not resolved," he said.
"It came from a place where I just find it unbearable to think that those little kids are facing that situation or women are facing significantly higher domestic violence circumstances and realities in those communities."
He offered to quit the shadow ministry at the time because he was so against the apology.
Mr Dutton was the only frontbencher to boycott it.
China 'biggest issue' for Australia 'in our lifetimes'
Mr Dutton also stood by his "strong statements" on China in the past.
When he said on Anzac Day that Australia must "preserve peace" by making sure to "prepare for war", he suggested China was on a similar path to Germany in the 1930s in the lead-up to World War II.
He also said China sees other countries in the region as "tributary states".
He said he wants to have a "productive relationship" with China but said the nation under President Xi Jinping was "the biggest issue our country will face in our lifetimes".
"That's the assessments of the American, British, Japanese, Indians and it's our assessment as well," he said.
'I bought a house at 19'
He also revisited some personal details about his past, including buying his first home, and said his "relentless resolve" would serve him in his new role.
"I started part-time work at a butcher shop after school until I started university. I saved and bought a house at 19 and built a business from nothing to ultimately employ 40 people," he said.
"I was a police officer for 10 years and I've dedicated my working life to public service."
What did the new Nationals leader say?
There's also new leadership for coalition partners the Nationals.
David Littleproud beat Barnaby Joyce for the top job, with Senator Perin Davey taking over from him as deputy.
Mr Littleproud said it had been his "dream" to lead the party and they would uphold the party's net-zero climate change commitment.
"Lurching left or lurching right, it's using common sense and being in the sensible centre. That's where you win elections, not chasing extremities," he said.
"I believe passionately in the National Party … we are the conscience of rural and regional Australia right here in this parliament."
On whether Mr Joyce would have a place in the shadow cabinet, he said that was still something to be discussed with Mr Dutton.
Mr Joyce said in a tweeted video about his loss:
He said he gave "every ounce" of his energy to look after regional Australia and wanted to congratulate the incoming leadership.
"They have a mighty task ahead of them and I will give them all the support I can," he said.
What did Scott Morrison say?
The former prime minister had already said on election day that he would step aside from the Liberal leadership.
On Monday he said Mr Dutton and incoming deputy Sussan Ley were "incredibly experienced" and "deeply committed" to the Liberal cause.
"I think they'll do an outstanding job and I look forward to giving them all of my full support," Mr Morrison said.
During the partyroom meeting, he said he thanked his colleagues for their "great loyalty" while he was PM and that there was a "rousing cheer" for former treasurer Josh Frydenberg's work.
