The decision by Defence Minister John Faulkner to move to the back bench after the next election is a vote of no confidence in the Gillard government, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says.
Speaking after a tour of Annangrove Public School in Sydney, Mr Abbott said it was "interesting" that Senator Faulkner had served under the Rudd government but was not going to serve in cabinet under new Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
"Clearly this is an implicit vote of no confidence in the government," he told journalists on Wednesday.
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"John Faulkner was a highly principled and highly capable minister, like Lindsay Tanner, and the two best ministers in the government are leaving it.
"We now have a government with a lame duck finance minister and a lame duck defence minister.
Robert McClleland, Joe Ludwig, and Joe Combet are amongst the names rumoured to have a chance of taking the portfolio.
A senior Labor figure and staunch Kevin Rudd supporter, Faulkner has insisted he was simply fulfilling a commitment to serve in the cabinet for one term only.He said it was the right time to go for him personally, but also for the party and the government.
"These positions are too important, particularly with our troops overseas and the kind of economic uncertainty that we have now, for the prime minister not to be able to tell us who will be the defence minister and who will be the finance minister after the election."
Senator Faulkner said earlier that he wasn't quitting federal cabinet because Kevin Rudd was dumped as prime minister last month.
He said his decision was motivated by the need for "generational change", and said Gilalrd had his "absolute" support.
Mr Tanner announced two weeks ago he would be retiring from politics at the next federal election.
