The federal Liberal party has wiped its hands of responsibility for a trouncing at the Victorian state poll.
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With a strong swing to Labor across the state, the conservatives were left licking their wounds on Saturday.
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was quick to say the result couldn't be blamed on Canberra.
"From a federal perspective, we also note that we won the last two state elections in South Australia and Tasmania," Mr Frydenberg told ABC TV.
"Scott Morrison and I and other federal colleagues didn't play an active role in this campaign, and it was fought on state (issues)."
The prime minister didn't appear beside Victorian Liberal leader Matthew Guy until the third week of the election campaign, when Mr Morrison visited Melbourne to pay respect to the victim of a deadly terror attack.
At the time, many said it was to Mr Guy's advantage not to be seen beside Mr Morrison, who has been battling poor polling since the party ousted Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister.
"The noise didn't help but it didn't determine the result of this election," Mr Frydenberg said of federal party issues impacting on Victoria.
The focus will now turn to what Labor's resounding victory in Victoria means for the federal election due by next May.
"We have a lot of work to do here in Victoria and across the country," Mr Frydenberg said.
"But at the same time the Australian economy is strong, we've got a good agenda we're prosecuting.
"And we know that the coalition has a very strong track record and we'll be presenting to the people at the next election, very strong policies."
The treasurer tried to highlight that all political parties have their problems.
"If (Opposition Leader) Bill Shorten wants to get ahead of himself and thinks he can measure up the drapes in the lodge he'll be as wrong next time around as he was in 2016 when he did his famous victory lap around the country saying he'd won."
Mr Shorten congratulated Labor's return to power in Victoria but did not make any link to the impact on federal politics.
"Today's result is also a fundamental rejection of the Liberals' cuts to schools, TAFE and hospitals, and their failure to invest in renewables and take action on climate change," he said.
Australian Associated Press
