Outspoken Tasmanian MP Bridget Archer says she is considering putting her hand up to become the next leader or deputy leader of the Liberal Party.
Ms Archer — who is considered likely to retain her difficult-to-win seat of Bass — will be one of few moderate voices left in the party room after formerly blue seats like Kooyong and Goldstein were won by so-called teal independents.
Asked on ABC Radio Hobart whether she would throw her hat in the ring for a leadership role, Ms Archer said she "certainly will give it some consideration".
"I think I'll just have to wait until the party room meets to see what the final make-up is of the party room, talk to some colleagues and things like that," Ms Archer said.
"I care about where we go to next. I care that we do learn some lessons from this and return to the best interests of Australians and put ideological considerations aside … I will do everything I can to fight to ensure it remains the Liberal Party."
Liberal MPs Karen Andrews and Dan Tehan have also suggested they may put their hands up for the top job, as has conservative Peter Dutton.
Since Saturday, Ms Archer repeatedly said she and her constituents were sick of tribal, divisive politics.
"I think what Australians want and certainly what people in my community want is a return to representation, a return to representatives listening to their community and working together to achieve outcomes in the best interests of Australians," she told ABC Hobart.
Ms Archer was George Town mayor before entering the federal parliament.
Veteran Tasmanian senator Eric Abetz, who is fighting to retain his seat, told ABC Radio Hobart he believed it too early for Ms Archer to take on a leadership role, but talked up Braddon MP Gavin Pearce's chances of securing a shadow ministry.
Mr Pearce and Ms Archer were both first elected in 2019.
If Ms Archer does retain her seat, she will be only the second sitting MP re-elected in Bass in almost three decades.
Her campaign centred on her personality and record, pivoting in the final week to purple signage without Liberal branding and the slogan "Keep Bridget in Bass".
During her first term in parliament, she spoke against her party's policy on cashless welfare cards and twice crossed the floor — once in support of a national integrity commission, then during debate on religious discrimination out of concern for transgender children.
Her comments came as Labor leader Anthony Albanese was sworn in as prime minister after the Liberals were swept from power in the election over the weekend.
The Liberal Party's greatest losses came thanks to teal independents — women who wiped out moderate Liberals from once-safe seats in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
Incoming teal independents Monique Ryan, who defeated former deputy leader Josh Frydenberg, Zoe Daniel, who defeated Tim Wilson, and Allegra Spender, who defeated Dave Sharma, have said they want the incoming government to take greater steps to address climate change.
