Turnbull points finger at 'captain' Abbott over Ruddock sacking

Malcolm Turnbull has distanced himself from the sacking of chief whip Philip Ruddock and pointed the finger at "captain" Tony Abbott.

The communications minister says the prime minister is the one who has to explain the decision to dump Mr Ruddock following an attempted leadership spill.

"That's his call. But I have to say, I was very sad to see the announcement," Mr Turnbull said on ABC TV's Q&A last night.

"(Tony Abbott) is the one who has to explain it."

Mr Abbott dropped the Liberal Party veteran in a shock announcement on Friday, replacing him with Queensland MP Scott Buchholz.

After praising Mr Ruddock as an "icon" of the party, Mr Turnbull said he wasn't consulted over the decision to sack him.

"I don't know who (Abbott) consulted. He is the boss. He is the captain, he can make a captain's call," Mr Turnbull said.

Time and public opinion would tell whether the decision was right or wrong, he said.

Defending the overhaul of the whip's office, Mr Abbott said he needed to be more in touch with the backbench after the revolt that nearly cost him the top job.