Peter Dutton will likely be elected opposition leader, and Sussan Ley his deputy as the Liberal Party attempts to win back disaffected women it lost "in droves".
Former ministers Anne Ruston, Ms Ley and Karen Andrews have been floated for the deputy leadership.
But Ms Andrews ruled out putting herself forward for the deputy position on Tuesday, with Mr Dutton all but guaranteed to be the opposition leader.
"Because I'm Queenslander and the Liberal Party is a national party it is untenable for the leader and the deputy leader to come from the one state," she told ABC radio.
"At this time, it is not my time to stand for deputy leader, which makes me sad but that's the reality."
Ms Andrews said former environment minister Sussan Ley was likely shaping up as the choice for deputy.
"I believe at this stage most definitely Sussan Ley is the strongest contender," she said.
"Nominations for leader will be called first. Peter will be the only nominee, and at that point he will be appointed as leader."
She said the Liberals needed to listen to the disaffected female voters her party lost "in droves" at the election.
Earlier, Nationals deputy David Littleproud rebuked the West Australian premier for labelling Mr Dutton an extremist.
The former defence minister is considered the clear frontrunner to replace Scott Morrison as Liberal leader.
"Mark McGowan's comments yesterday were sad ... give it up, mate," Mr Littleproud told the Nine Network on Tuesday.
He came to his coalition colleague's aid after Mr McGowan delivered a scathing assessment of Mr Dutton.
The premier said the "extremely conservative" Mr Dutton did not fit with modern Australia.
"I actually don't think he's that smart," he said.
But Mr Littleproud said Mr Dutton provided the balance Australians were looking for in a federal leader.
"On economic and national security he is quite hard ... (but) he is more pragmatic on some of the more social and environment issues than people think," he said.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called on the Liberals to install a woman as leader, warning female voters wanted adequate representation in the parliament.
"Why not make the leader of the Liberal Party a woman. Why does it always have to be the deputy position?" she told Sky News on Tuesday.
"I don't think Peter Dutton is going to do any help to the Liberal Party of regaining ground in those seats that they've lost. Put a woman in charge and they'll do much better."
Meanwhile, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he would "wish" Mr Dutton well if he was chosen as the opposition leader and "welcome" him to dinner in Melbourne.
"You guys need to remember this - it wasn't that long ago when these people were running around saying that we're all gonna get murdered by an African gang and we couldn't go out for dinner," Mr Andrews said.
"This is the sort of low-road politics that these people played just a few years ago. And if any of you think they've changed, well, think again."
