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Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says the government led by his successor Scott Morrison is in "plenty of trouble" just months out from the federal election.

• Mr Turnbull believes his former federal coalition colleagues are struggling to be re-elected for a fourth term
• Defence Minister Peter Dutton has emphatically defended Scott Morrison
• The federal government this week has been hit with poor opinion polling and leaked text messages

This week the federal government has been hit with more poor opinion polling and reports that former New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian once described Mr Morrison as a "horrible, horrible person" who cares about politics more than people.

Speaking on the ABC's 7.30 program, Mr Turnbull declared he believes his former federal coalition colleagues are struggling to be re-elected for a fourth term.

"Well, I mean, what is it — it's eight points behind in Newspoll, election is in three months or so. No, it's in plenty of trouble, for sure," Mr Turnbull said.

Mr Turnbull says he wasn't surprised to learn of Ms Berejiklian's apparent description of the man who took over from him as Prime Minister.

"I wasn't surprised by the content. I was a little bit surprised they found their way into the public domain," he said.

"Clearly, whoever authorised [Network 10 journalist] Mr [Peter] Van Onselen to release that did not have Scott Morrison's best interests at heart," he said.

Asked which federal minister he believed was responsible for releasing the private text messages, Mr Turnbull joked, "Colonel Mustard in the library with a smartphone".

Appearing on 7.30 after Mr Turnbull, Defence Minister Peter Dutton has emphatically defended Scott Morrison, saying "he puts the interests of this country first and foremost".

"Most Australians see they've got a Prime Minister who is human like the rest of us, doesn't get everything right, but dedicates himself each day to get us through the realities of COVID," Mr Dutton said.

Mr Turnbull had appeared on the 7.30 program to discuss documents revealing Australia's defence leadership received positive advice about the French submarine project, just weeks before it was scrapped in favour of the AUKUS nuclear deal.

An email, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, reveals a message from Defence secretary Greg Moriarty to the department's submarine boss Greg Sammut, indicating positive feedback about the submarine deal would be passed on to France in August.

"I will ensure that the good progress to date is part of the advice we take to government, and you will hear that message repeated in the 2+2 with France and in other engagements," the email said.

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-03/peter-dutton-leaps-to-scott-morrisons-defence-malcolm-turnbull/100803794

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