Liberal MP expects internal struggle

The polls closed in the Sydney seat at 6pm on Saturday, with independent Kerryn Phelps tipped to defeat Liberal candidate Dave Sharma.

Mr Laundy, who was a staunch backer of Mr Turnbull's leadership, said he feared the former prime minister would be wrongly blamed for any loss.

"If we do lose this seat tonight one of the interesting things we are going to see is how quickly those that were responsible (for the leadership challenge) try to turn it to: 'It's Malcolm's fault, not what we did'," Mr Laundy told Sky News.

"I argued all the way through for stability and loyalty and came up short but it's our job now and I think there is an internal struggle within the party sadly about where we go going forward."

Mr Laundy said party members needed to resist calls to take the Liberals more to the right.

"I don't think that has played well in Wentworth," he said, adding that issues such as climate change were commonly mentioned by voters at poll booths.

Mr Laundy said he had spoken to Mr Turnbull several times during the week as the former leader was criticised for not campaigning for Mr Sharma.

"His strong thought was the people of Wentworth would have seen that as an absolute joke," Mr Laundy said.

"He knew if he stayed in town it would have been a circus and for his own well-being he had to get out and get away."

Australian Associated Press