Speaking to ABC’s 7.30 program last night, the Liberal frontbencher said he did not have any plans to lead the Liberal Party but conceded that he “didn't think there is any member of the House of Representatives who, if in the right circumstances, would not take on that responsibility”.
“Politics is an unpredictable business so people say to me often, ‘Do you think you'll be leader again?’ and I say my prospects are somewhere between nil and very negligible and I think that is probably about right,” he said.
The comments follows fiery interactions between Mr Turnbull and conservative commentator Andrew Bolt and radio host Alan Jones, who Turnbull accused of undermining the Abbott government.
Asked about the attacks from conservative commentators Turnbull said it could be viewed as a coordinated campaign.
"I will not stand by and let that falsehood be peddled, because there is a risk if you don't stand up to bullies and people who peddle these lines, that they will start to become accepted. These people have got big megaphones and you've got to take - you've got to stand them up for it," he told the ABC's Sarah Ferguson.
Tony Abbott: Ambition is a prerequisite for parliament
The leadership talk has followed Prime Minister Tony Abbott to France, where he told media that claims of government disunity were gossip.
“I think there's been a bit of over-excited chatter in recent days,” Mr Abbott told reporters in France.
“We are a good and strong team that's been in government for less than nine months and all of us are getting on with it.”
Mr Abbott did concede that he’d be “amazed” if some of his senior cabinet ministers didn't harbour leadership ambitions.
“I think ambition is almost a prerequisite for going into parliament,” he said.
“There's nothing wrong with being ambitious but right at the moment our ambition is for a better country.”
Mr Abbott also defended Mr Turnbull, describing him as loyal.
“Malcolm and I have known each other for a very long time and we have a very good relationship,” Mr Abbott said.
“... I am very pleased to have Malcolm as a senior member of my government and I know that Malcolm is very pleased to be a senior member of the government.”
Pyne plays down leadership speculation
Education Minister Christopher Pyne also weighed in on the issue this morning, saying Mr Turnbull was very happy being the communications minister.
“Malcolm has been the leader, and that has ended and he's very happy being the communications minister,” Mr Pyne told the Nine Network.
Mr Turnbull made headlines earlier this week when he dismissed comments made by conservative columnist Andrew Bolt in regards to his support for Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
“It borders on the demented to string together a dinner with Clive Palmer and my attending, as communications minister, the launch by a cross party group of friends of the ABC, and say that that amounts to some kind of threat or challenge to the prime minister,” he said.
“…I just have to say to Mr. Bolt, he proclaims loudly that he is a friend of the government, well with friends like Bolt we don’t need any enemies.”
Rumours of a potential challenge has also been denied by Mr Turnbull’s wife, who told the ABC's Q&A program on Monday that her husband's much publicised dinner with Clive Palmer was “completely spontaneous”.
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