Hockey will remain treasurer, PM says

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has denied reports he was told coalition MPs want Treasurer Joe Hockey dumped if next week's federal budget flops with voters.

"The budget belongs to no individual minister, it belongs to all of us," he told Melbourne radio 3AW on Thursday.

Mr Abbott was responding to a column in The Australian, written by former coalition adviser Niki Savva, that said the government's chief whip Scott Buchholz had told the prime minister's office Liberal MPs wanted Mr Hockey replaced if his second budget went down badly.

"I think some people just make things up ... it's a complete invention," he said.

When asked if Mr Hockey would remain as treasurer until the next election, Mr Abbott said: "Yes, he will."

Mr Abbott said the budget was a team effort and he was confident it was the right budget for the times.

"In the end it's the government's budget and if the budget doesn't go well obviously the government will suffer."