Malcolm Turnbull insists the federal Liberal Party is a harmonious lot despite accusations of disloyalty and bad blood.
Leaked comments by cabinet minister Christopher Pyne have re-opened old wounds from a leadership contest between Mr Turnbull and dumped prime minister Tony Abbott 21 months ago.
Mr Pyne, one of Mr Abbott's most senior lieutenants at the time, told moderate faction colleagues at a late-night function last week he had voted for Mr Turnbull in every Liberal leadership ballot.
That was news to Mr Abbott.
He accused Mr Pyne of not being fair dinkum, saying it was incredibly disappointing to discover his loyalty was never there.
Mr Turnbull on Tuesday was distancing himself from the spat , rejecting suggestions his party was a "tinderbox" about to erupt.
But the prime minister admitted people in politics could get scratchy with each other, which was just human nature.
"The party room is very harmonious, very united," he told 3AW's Neil Mitchell, noting Mr Abbott was not a minister in his government.
"He's one member in the party room."
Mr Turnbull said the coalition recently had been able deal with complex issues such as schools funding and energy policy.
He also reaffirmed the coalition's policy to hold a national vote on same-sex marriage instead of a conscience vote by MPs.
Earlier former minister Eric Abetz, an ally of Mr Abbott's, criticised Mr Pyne.
"What Mr Pyne regrettably did was provide a verbal selfie to the Australian public and I don't think it's a very pretty picture," he told ABC radio.
"If you are a minister - especially a cabinet minister - and you no longer have confidence in your leader, you are duty bound to tell your leader and resign."
Mr Pyne insisted as a member of the leadership team he was loyal to Mr Abbott in the lead-up to the 2013 election which the coalition won.
"[We] were absolutely central to him becoming prime minister and defeating the Labor Party in 2013 and almost defeating them in 2010, so nobody could ever question my determination to see a coalition government in power," he told the ABC's Q&A program on Monday night.
