Sacked veterans' affairs minister Darren Chester describes the conversation in which he was let go from the ministry by his party leader as "incoherent".
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Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce made calls to his colleagues on Sunday to let them know if they were in or out of the new ministry.
Mr Chester, a backer of former leader Michael McCormack, said he would have a business-like relationship with the new leader and there was no repeat of harsh words the pair had previously exchanged.
"I wouldn't normally comment on private conversations, but I'm gonna say the conversation I had with Barnaby was so incoherent [on Sunday], I couldn't actually explain what he was even saying to me.
"So people of Australia, brace yourself, there will be more conversations like that."
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Mr Chester said he was disappointed and frustrated for his ministerial team in Canberra, who were given no explanation for why they were no longer working on veterans issues.
He observed that the deputy prime minister complimented him as a competent minister, before he was "screwed over" by the National Party for a second time.
"Well he can explain why a competent minister is no longer in his job."
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Harley Dennett
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
