Australian PM Tony Abbott's challenger denies he's made enemies in the party

Prime Minister Tony Abbott walks from the party room after surviving the leadership spill. Photo / Getty

The Liberal MP who unsuccessfully pushed to remove Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott as leader does not believe he has made any enemies in the party.

Mr Abbott survived a party vote, brought by West Australian Liberal MPs Luke Simpkins and Don Randall today, by 61-39.

Mr Simpkins said it was tense in the party room before the vote.

He admitted some people weren't happy with what he had done but he didn't think he had made any enemies.

The MP still considered the motion a success, saying a strong message had been sent to the prime minister that things needed to change.

"Now it's right that we give him the opportunity to implement the changes," Mr Simpkins told ABC radio.

Senator Chris Back agreed the motion was a "wake-up call" for the leadership team to consult widely.

"Nobody can make the assumption that from the numbers ... the spill gave any indication at all as to how people might have voted had the spill motion passed," he told Fairfax radio.

The Western Australia senator said it was a backbench motion, not a Malcolm Turnbull-led conspiracy.

"He was not out there canvassing, he was not the catalyst for this," he said.

Senator Dean Smith, who backed the prime minister, agreed that Mr Turnbull was a team player and did not think anyone could accuse him of any wrongdoing.

He also agreed that Mr Abbott deserved time to improve his performance, saying the leader had listened to members' concerns.

"I'm confident that the message has been heard and he will focus now on the things that are really important to Australians and that is first and foremost the economy," he said.

- AAP