Senior Liberal minister Peter Dutton is urging his colleagues to get behind Malcolm Turnbull's prime ministership, insisting the coalition can defeat a Bill Shorten-led Labor at the next election.
Mr Dutton, who is frequently mentioned as leadership material, says the government must step-up in 2018 and make sure it has the policies where the public has concerns.
He says the government has finished the year well and now has the ability to implement policies in next year's budget that will see people, who may be "parked temporarily" with Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives or One Nation, return to the coalition.
"I think we can win the next election with Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister and certainly that is what I am dedicating myself to do," he told Sky News on Sunday.
"If you know Bill Shorten, then you know he is a shonk and a phoney. That's the reality he is ... at least as insincere as Kevin Rudd was."
