Member for Wannon Dan Tehan hoses down speculation he will be federal liberal leader

"I am the senior Liberal in Victoria now," Mr Tehan said when asked about speculation he may lead the party in the near future.

"In that role my focus is very much on making sure that we have the policies in place that we need to be able to present a compelling case to communities not only in Wannon but across Australia that will see us return back to government.

"Obviously speculation about leadership comes and goes.

"My focus has been - and always will be - on my electorate and my other roles."

Mr Tehan is in his 13^th year as the Member for Wannon.

He said it was an honour and privilege to serve the electorate.

Mr Tehan followed in the footsteps of his mother Marie Tehan, who served as Victoria's health minister in the Kennett government.

She died of the rare brain disorder Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in 2004.

Earlier this month federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton vowed to remain in the driver's seat and fight on after the party's historic by-election loss.

Labor claimed the eastern Melbourne electorate of Aston - the first time a federal government had won a seat from the opposition at a by-election in 103 years.

Mr Dutton said the party would go through some soul-searching.

"We have a lot of work to do, I accept responsibility as I'm the leader of the party," the coalition chief told the ABC's Insiders program.

"I can tell you it makes me more determined to rebuild this party and be in a winning position by 2025."

Mr Dutton argued state issues also played into the 6.5 per cent swing to federal Labor, given the dominance of the state Labor government, while noting Melbourne seats had always been tough for the Liberals to win.

"Obviously, the difficulties for us in Victoria haven't germinated in Aston over the course of the last five weeks," he said.

"Even back to 2013, with all of my predecessors, Victoria is the one state that we have never held a majority of seats in and there are huge issues at a state level as well."

The by-election was called after controversial former Morrison government minister Alan Tudge, who held the seat on a margin of 2.8 per cent, resigned from politics.

Federal National leader David Littleproud said Mr Dutton remained the best person to lead the opposition.

Mr Dutton said he led a united team, which was hard from opposition after a federal election loss.

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