Labor seeks to condemn PM over gun vote

Labor has sought to condemn the prime minister in parliament for not acting against three ministers who abstained from a vote in support of a shotgun import ban.

Nationals frontbenchers Nigel Scullion, Matt Canavan and Fiona Nash did not front up to a vote on Monday night in support of the government's ban on the import of the seven-shot Adler shotgun.

Labor leader Bill Shorten moved a motion on Tuesday condemning Malcolm Turnbull for not enforcing cabinet solidarity, which is set out in the official handbook for ministers.

The government used its numbers to gag Mr Shorten ad defeat the motion.

Senator Canavan on Tuesday insisted he supported the government's position on the national firearms agreement.

He said he was proud of colleagues Bridget McKenzie and John 'Wacka' Williams who crossed the floor to vote against the government.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to say how proud I am of my colleagues who stand up and support interests of gun owners in this country," he said.

"We do support the rights of individual senators in this place to express their views, have independent thoughts."