Abbott suggests budget will be less harsh

Voters might have had a collective groan about Tony Abbott hanging on to his job, but there are likely positives for households from the failed Liberal leadership spill motion.

There is a greater prospect of another interest rate cut and a May budget that is less harsh than last year's.

Economist Su-Lin Ong believes continued uncertainty surrounding Mr Abbott's future will keep the pressure on the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates again.

The prime minister's position had been weakened considerably and the government had no political capital for reform to boost long-term economic growth, she said.

"Weaker business confidence is likely to keep pressure on the RBA to do the heavy lifting and supports further easing (in monetary policy)," said Ms Ong, the head of Australian strategy at the Royal Bank of Canada.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Kate Carnell says the government must get on with running the country.

"Recent political instability has been poisonous for business and consumer confidence," she said.

Support for Mr Abbott and his treasurer, Joe Hockey, has slumped since last year's budget.

The prime minister concedes the government might have been "too bold and too ambitious", with a number of its measures stuck in the Senate.

"We did, with the wisdom of hindsight, bite off more than we could chew," Mr Abbott told reporters after surviving the spill motion.

But he says he has listened and learnt.

"I have changed and the government will change with me," Mr Abbott said.

Key jobs figures on Thursday could prove awkward for the government. Economists expect the unemployment rate to rise again, ticking up to 6.2 per cent.

However, Mr Hockey told parliament the latest ANZ job advertisements series indicated there were "green shoots" in the labour market.

The report suggests improving hiring intentions, with the number of job ads growing for 15 consecutive months.