Abetz dismisses latest poll

Government senate leader Eric Abetz has dismissed a new poll which shows the government would romp home at the next election with Malcolm Turnbull as leader.

Senator Abetz said the people of Australia elected the government for its judgment, not for a knee-jerk reaction to a particular poll.

"Opinion polls are a snapshot of a particular time. I look to the long term and for the polls that actually count," He told Sky News.

The 7News-ReachTEL poll of 3502 people taken on Thursday night put support for a Tony Abbott-led government at 45 per cent to Labor's 55 per cent.

But asked how they would vote if Mr Turnbull was prime minister instead of Mr Abbott, 54 per cent said they would support the coalition to Labor's 46 per cent.

The Liberal party room will consider a possible spill motion against Mr Abbott at its meeting on Tuesday morning.

That follows an email from WA backbencher Luke Simpkins to fellow MPs expressing his dissatisfaction with Mr Abbott's performance and advising he would move the motion to declare leadership positions open.

So far the public debate has featured many more declarations of support from Abbott loyalists than expressions of dissatisfaction.

Trade Minister Andrew Robb said a significant number of his colleagues believed Mr Abbott had been ambushed and the spill motion would be defeated.

"Tony Abbott, having received some determined messages about our performance last year, hasn't been given time to respond in any way. He needs to be given clear air," he told ABC radio.

Mr Robb said many felt this had been a panicked move which was making the government look like a circus.

"There has never been in the Liberal Party a prime minister who has not seen out the first term of office," he said.

Senator Abetz said Mr Abbott and his deputy Julie Bishop should continue to lead the party.

"I'm confident that they are the right people to lead the nation at this time," he told Sky News.