Abbott shrugs off leadership tilt 'gossip'

Prime Minister Tony Abbott during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia. Photo / Stefan Postles

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he is more concerned about running the country than the latest leadership gossip, a week out from the crucial Canning byelection.

Abbott was responding to a News Corp report that ministers on his frontbench are again agitating for Malcolm Turnbull to challenge him.

Asked about the speculation, Abbott said: "I'm concerned with good government. That's what I'm preoccupied with every day, not insider Canberra gossip."

Senior government frontbencher Peter Dutton says Abbott has strong support in the party room.

The Government has persistently lagged behind Labor in opinion polls, but Dutton believes once next year's federal election is called, people will judge the Government's record and it will win a second term.

"I think when people start to focus on the alternative, which is what election campaigns are about, I believe we can defeat Labor," Dutton said.

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek said it was "odds on" that the Liberals would change leaders.

But she didn't think it would make much difference.

"It's extraordinary that they think a change of leadership is going to fix all of that because they're all part of the same team that made the same bad decisions on the same product," she told ABC TV.

The reignited leadership speculation was another distraction for the Government before next weekend's West Australian byelection in the previously safe seat of Canning.

A Galaxy poll commissioned by News Corp predicted a savage swing against the Government on Saturday, which could spark a challenge.

Abbott insisted the byelection was about what was good for the people of Canning, not about him or Canberra.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Immigration Minister Dutton's apology for joking about the impact of climate change on Pacific Island nations is not about what he said, but the fact that he was caught.

His quip about "water lapping at your door" was picked up by an overhead microphone in an appearance with Abbott in Canberra on Friday.

The comment has been heavily criticised by Pacific Island leaders.

-AAP