Peter Dutton has been elected unopposed as the new Liberal leader, and former environment minister Sussan Ley his deputy. 

Mr Dutton, the former defence minister, won a party room leadership spill in Canberra on Monday and will replace Scott Morrison who led the coalition to defeat at the federal election. 

In his first press conference as leader, Mr Dutton vowed to represent Australia’s “forgotten people” in the outer suburbs and regional areas. 

“Under my leadership, the Liberal Party will be true to our values that have seen us win successive elections over the course of the last quarter of a century,” he said. 

“Make no mistake and Australians understand this, the next three years under Labor is going to be tough for the Australian people. Already they’re breaking the promises and foreshadowing policy shifts. They weren’t ready to govern. 

“Sussan and I lead a team which has the experience to make the right calls on supporting government policies that are in our national interest and standing against those that are not in our national interests.” 

Ms Ley pledged to “earn back” the “trust and faith” of female voters who deserted the party at the election. 

“My message to the women of Australia is we hear you,” she said. “We heard you.

“My message is that I do know that there were women who abandoned the coalition at the last election and there were women who firmly supported us. 

“So at this point in time, as review takes place. I will be travelling to as many parts of Australia to speak directly to the women to hear that individual perspectives about what matters to them.”

Mr Dutton said China’s leadership under Xi Jinping is the “biggest issue our country will face in our lifetimes”. 

“That’s the reality,” he said.

“That’s the assessment of the American, British, Japanese, Indians, and it’s our assessment as well. I will support policies which help to defend our country. 

“I want us to have a productive relationship with China, I want it to be restored.”

Mr Dutton said he “made a mistake” walking out on the Stolen Generation apology made by former prime minister Kevin Rudd in 2008, saying he wanted to see tangible outcomes for First Nations people. 

“For me, at the time, I believed that the apology should be given when the problems were resolved and the problems are not resolved,” he said.

“I understand the symbolism and I made that mistake…so I want there to be practical solutions. 

“And I want to work with the government to deliver those.” 

Mr Dutton said he was a “strong supporter” of a national anti-corruption watchdog. 

Mr Morrison congratulated Mr Dutton and Ms Ley on winning the leadership positions. 

“They are incredibly experienced, well versed, deeply, deeply committed Australians to both the Liberal cause and of course the cause of the nation and I think they’ll do an outstanding job and I look forward to giving them all of my full support,” he said. 

“It was a good opportunity for me to thank my colleagues for their great loyalty and support over these past more than three and a half years and to do that both on my behalf as well as on behalf of my dear friend Josh Frydenberg, who we’re all very sad couldn’t be with us today. There was a rousing cheer for Josh, as there should be.

“So to him, and all the Liberal Party supporters out there, thank you very much. It’s been a great privilege to lead the federal parliamentary Liberal Party and I hand it over to Peter and Sussan and wish them all the very best.” 

Mr Frydenberg, the former treasurer, lost the Victorian seat of Kooyong to teal independent Dr Monique Ryan at the election. 

Mr Dutton is the first Queenslander to lead the Liberal Party since it was founded in 1944.