Tony Abbott admits his government and former Speaker Bronwyn Bishop could end up paying a bigger price for the expenses scandal than they already have.
The latest Essential poll published on Tuesday shows Labor leading the coalition 53-47 on a two-party basis, after the scandal that ended in Mrs Bishop quitting her role as Speaker.
Mr Abbott said Mrs Bishop - who charged taxpayers $5200 to charter a helicopter from Melbourne to Geelong to attend a 2014 Liberal fundraiser - has lost a position she loved and it's also likely her parliamentary career "is substantially at an end".
"There is a price to pay, sure the government has inevitably paid a price and I daresay there'll be a little personal price for me," he said.
The prime minister took the unprecedented step of personally nominating Mrs Bishop as Speaker in 2013.
However, he said of the next Speaker: "My instinct is not to make a captain's pick."
Media reports suggest up to 10 Liberal MPs threatened to abstain if a no-confidence motion in Mrs Bishop was brought to parliament next week.
Mr Abbott said he had spoken with one of the frontrunners for Speaker, South Australian MP Andrew Southcott, describing him as a "good bloke".
Dr Southcott is understood to have broad support within the party, before a party room vote in Canberra on Monday, but Liberal veteran Philip Ruddock has also received backing.
The Essential poll also showed Malcolm Turnbull is preferred as Liberal leader by 24 per cent of voters, compared with 18 per cent for Mr Abbott and 22 per cent for "don't know".
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Abbott had only one interest in mind when it came to dealing with the scandal.
"Everything this government does is determined around one question - how to save Mr Abbott's job," Mr Shorten said.
Liberal frontbencher Steve Ciobo said it would be "great" if another woman was elected Speaker.
Two possible female candidates, Queensland MPs Teresa Gambaro and Jane Prentice, declined to comment on Tuesday.
Comment was being sought from Mrs Bishop on whether she planned to recontest her northern Sydney seat of Mackellar.
