The Nationals MP welcomed the election of Scott Morrison as the leader of the Liberals, replacing Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister.

But when asked whether the Liberals could unite behind the former Treasurer, he warned against further in-fighting.

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“If they can’t, they’re finished as an organisation with any credibility. They will be for a long, long time,” Mr Coulton said.

“I came to Canberra the same day as Scott, eight years ago, and … he will be someone that Australians can have confidence in and look up to.”

Former Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg was elected deputy leader, and Mr Coulton hoped they would make a “good leadership team”.

The pair presented a united front at their first press conference on Friday afternoon, with Mr Morrison naming the drought gripping NSW and Queensland as “our most urgent and pressing need right now”.

When asked whether Mr Morrison would back rural Australians, Mr Coulton said “he’ll be fine”.

“Scott has had a bit of time with me out in my electorate … he’s a very strong supporter of the Clontarf Foundation,” Mr Coulton said.

“We spent a few days camping on the river out at Bourke with some of the young lads from the Clontarf Foundation.”

Mr Coulton thanked former Mr Turnbull for his contribution to regional Australia, and echoed his departing comments that Australians were “dumbstruck” and “appalled” by the events of the past week.

“”Not only the public, I have been as well,” he said.

“On the last Prime Minister, I think he had great empathy for country people. He came to my electorate several times to meet with country people about the drought and he has actually called a couple of farmers recently to check how they are doing with the drought.

“I’ve got to recognise that he was very supportive of my people in a very difficult time and as soon as Scott Morrison becomes Prime Minister I’ll be inviting him out to look at the drought as well.”

Speaking in his final press conference as Prime Minister, a positive and frank Mr Turnbull said he would quit Parliament “not before too long”.

Any resignations could trigger byelections and threaten the government’s majority in the House of Representatives.

Mr Coulton said it was “too early” to know whether there would be byelections imminently, nor whether the government would win said “hypothetical” byelections.

Mr Morrison said “I don’t think anybody should be making any plans for any elections any time soon”.