Turnbull gave it everything:Abbott

Tony Abbott has refrained from sticking the boot into the man who brought him down, instead saying Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull gave his all during a long election campaign.

"Good on him for giving it everything," Mr Abbott told reporters outside his northern Sydney home following a morning bike ride on Sunday.

The election result was in the balance which was tragic for the Liberal Party, the country and some "very fine colleagues" who had lost their seats.