Senior federal coalition members have conceded time was against the party in its loss at the NSW election.
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NSW Liberals were swept from power at Saturday's poll after more than a decade in office, with Labor leader Chris Minns to become the state's next premier.
Federal Liberal frontbencher Paul Fletcher, who hails from NSW, denied the party had failed to learn lessons from its defeat at last year's federal election, instead insisting history was not on their side.
"After three terms and 12 years, inevitably, it becomes harder to win a fourth term. It's the nature of Australia democracy that the electorate starts to look for alternatives," he told ABC Radio on Monday.
"It's not surprising that people look for a change, that's been a pattern in Australian politics for decades."
Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud agreed that time was against the state coalition but said the party would have to go back and review the sale of public assets, which he believes played into the loss.
"The NSW people said that they wanted a new start and what we have to do by it is go back and listen and learn," he said.
"You've got to appreciate the electorate - when they own an asset, they very rarely want to give it up."
He also urged both state and federal Labor government to not forget regional Australians.
"Regional Australians cannot wait two and a half years for us to get back in," he said.
"We are prepared to back anything, but we're just saying to every government right across this country: do not let regional Australia become the forgotten Australians."
The Liberals suffered a more than four per cent swing across the state on Saturday, with Labor looking set to govern in their own right as counting continues in several close seats.
Some critics have called on the Liberals to move further to the right following the election loss.
But Mr Fletcher said such a move would not be needed, saying major parties needed to be "responsive to the concerns of mainstream Australians".
Saturday's election result has seen Labor governments in every state and territory on the mainland, with Tasmania the only state Liberal government remaining.
Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce said Labor now has nowhere to hide.
"Now with Labor Party all across Australia, they've got no one else to blame, they've got to look after the cost of living," he told Seven's Sunrise program.
He added that the coalition should not split in NSW following the election loss but said that was a decision for his state counterparts.
Australian Associated Press
