Reports of a reshuffle to rid the government of “dead wood” are wrong, Tony Abbott has said.
On Friday News Ltd papers reported that up to six ministers were in the crosshairs, including the defence minister, Kevin Andrews, the employment minister, Eric Abetz, the trade minister, Andrew Robb, and the resources minister, Ian Macfarlane.
The prime minister, who spoke to reporters before hosting a community meeting on resettling Syrian refugees, said the report was “wrong”.
“Reports of end-of-year reshuffles are absolutely a dime a dozen,” Abbott said. “This is a government which is totally focused on jobs, economic growth and community safety, not Canberra insider gossip.”
The leader of the house, Christopher Pyne, also downplayed the reports.
“Well, I wasn’t on this list, Anthony,” he told the Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese during a joint appearance on Channel Nine. “I’m sure I am on somebody else’s list.
“These stories are speculative, they come and go. They do all sorts of distracting damage during the day. But at the end of the day the prime minister chooses who his cabinet and ministries [are].”
Reshuffles were “issues for leaders of the party”, the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, said.
“In terms of the composition of the frontbench in the foreseeable future, that is always a matter for the prime minister,” Dutton told ABC Radio on Friday.
The social services minister, Scott Morrison, denied that the report, which was published in a publication close to the prime minister, was designed to flush out leadership challengers. Morrison is widely tipped to be a contender.
“I support the prime minister,” he told Sky News. “The prime minister knows that.”
The treasurer, Joe Hockey, was not on the list of ministers in danger of losing their jobs. Hockey has been under pressure since elements of his first budget in 2014 – including higher education reforms, GP copayments and tighter welfare for people under 25 – tanked with the public and crossbench senators.
“The only job I’ve been focused on are the jobs of everyday Australians,” Hockey told Macquarie Radio.
When asked by the presenter, Ray Hadley, if the “gloss had gone off him”, Hockey replied: “I’ve had my head down, working on the job.”
Pyne and Morrison backed Hockey.
Morrison said: “We’ve got a great treasurer.”
Pyne told Nine’s Today show: “Joe is doing a fantastic job in very difficult financial circumstances in the world at the moment. He is a great treasurer. I’m sure his job is absolutely secure.”
Pyne issued his colleagues with a warning: “All of us just have to get on with our jobs.”
Albanese said the report had come straight from Abbott.
“These stories don’t come and go when they are in the Daily Telegraph,” he said. “That is an annexe of the prime minister’s media office. They get the drop on every stop, much to the annoyance of the rest of the press gallery.
“I think those ministers who have been mentioned will be very nervous this morning.
“The problem with this government starts at the very top. What this is, is a response to Tony Abbott, who has been stalked by Malcolm Turnbull, Julie Bishop and Scott Morrison [for the leadership].”
The ministry has remained all but steady since the Coalition was in opposition, with just one reshuffle in December when the then defence minister, David Johnston, was sacked for making disparaging comments made about the South Australian submarine builder ASC.
