Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull should acknowledge the irony if he racks up as many bad opinion polls as Tony Abbott had when he was rolled from the leadership, a federal Liberal MP says.
Mr Turnbull used 30 consecutive Newspoll losses as a reason for ousting Mr Abbott in September 2015, and is expected to achieve the same unenviable milestone when a new poll comes out next week.
"Just acknowledging the irony is probably a good way forward ... take it on the chin. That's all he can do," Member for Canning Andrew Hastie, a firm friend and ally of Mr Abbott, told AAP on Thursday.
"I think Australian people enjoy people being just frank and honest about the situation."
Mr Abbott raised eyebrows last week when he planted a kiss on the cheek of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson at her book launch and said "you are always better the second time around", fuelling speculation he plans a comeback.
But Mr Hastie said he couldn't see that happening.
"I don't think anyone's entertaining the prospect of Tony returning," the former SAS commander said.
"He's a good friend, I've learned a lot from him but I believe in stable government.
"I know there's no chatter."
Having been promoted to chair the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security, Mr Hastie said he was in "no hurry to create any sort of trouble".
