Tony Abbott's survival as prime minister depends on improving his performance, senior Liberals say.
Mr Abbott has made his first step in that direction, promising backbench MPs regular meetings with ministers.
Liberal backbencher Dennis Jensen has called on the prime minister to stand aside and fellow MP Warren Entsch says the leadership question must be resolved "one way or another" next Tuesday when their parliamentary colleagues meet for the first time in 2015.
But Mr Abbott doesn't expect a spill motion will go ahead.
He certainly won't call one himself, saying that would just be a "distraction".
"I don't expect anything like that to happen because I know that this is cabinet working together for the good of our country," he said on Thursday.
Mr Abbott's backers estimate there are only 10 to 15 supporters of a change, while others suggest the figure could be 30 out of the 102-strong party room.
Potential challenger Malcolm Turnbull, who has denied canvassing support for a tilt, told a Politics in the Pub session on the NSW Central Coast Mr Abbott has had more loyalty from within than any Liberal leader in living memory.
"There has been nobody that has been looking to appear to be his successor or to be his replacement," he said.
"Hawke had Keating, Howard clearly had Costello.
"(Mr Abbott) has not been undermined by anybody."
When pushed further by pub-goer Tom to "kill it once and for all: are you interested (in challenging) or not?", Mr Turnbull avoided the question, asking for other topics.
Earlier, Mr Turnbull said Mr Abbott was a very good prime minister but when asked what he believed would happen next Tuesday, he was evasive.
"We'll see. You'll just have to wait and see," he said.
Mr Abbott said he trusted Mr Turnbull and deputy leader Julie Bishop and believed their assurances they weren't campaigning for his job.
The prime minister has revealed that backbench policy committee heads will get to meet cabinet at least once every two months, starting on Monday for "frank and fearless" exchanges of ideas.
Trade Minister Andrew Robb says backbench concerns about the government's policy direction are legitimate but will be addressed.
"We allowed some surprise policies to be dropped out in the budget last year to do with education, to do with health," Mr Robb said.
While they had merit, they had not been properly discussed within the party, he said, and the government had allowed Labor to "frighten people" about them.
Asked whether Mr Abbott needed to take responsibility for the government's woes, Mr Robb told Sky News: "We all have, and he's part of it. He's a big part. He's the leader."
The government is continuing talks with Senate crossbenchers on university deregulation, while Health Minister Sussan Ley says no deadline had been set on negotiating Medicare changes with doctors and other groups.
Former minister Arthur Sinodinos, now a backbench senator, said his support for Mr Abbott was not unconditional.
Asked if Mr Abbott would be leader next week, he said: "Comrade, ask me next week."
For his part, Mr Abbott is very confident of being prime minister by the end of next week - parliament's first sitting week for the year.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Warren Truss said an agreement between the coalition parties couldn't be guaranteed if the Liberals changed leaders.
"At this stage, I don't think that is likely to be an issue," he said.
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