WA premier pleads for federal stability

Ongoing instability in federal politics has seriously damaged the nation's reputation in the Asia Pacific, according to West Australian Premier Colin Barnett.

Mr Barnett congratulated Prime Minister-Designate Malcolm Turnbull on Tuesday, who he described as a friend, and appealed for consistent leadership following a "brutal" 24 hours.

"To topple an elected and serving prime minister in his first year of office is not something to be proud of," Mr Barnett said.

He conceded ousted PM Tony Abbott had failed to connect with a significant section of the Australian public but said he felt sorry for him, his family and friends following Monday's "awful process".

"I congratulate Malcolm Turnbull, I wish him well and hope most of all we can now see stability in Australian federal politics because that has been very damaging, the events of recent years, to our reputation as a first world nation in the Asia Pacific," Mr Barnett said.