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Former prime minister John Howard has thrown cold water on the idea that Tony Abbott might soon return as Coalition leader, saying there is "no appetite for change" within the Liberal Party.
The Liberal elder's comments are significant, given Mr Abbott considers the former prime minister his political mentor.
Labor has been ahead in the polls since September 2016. A year prior in 2015, when Malcolm Turnbull challenged Tony Abbott for the leadership, he cited Mr Abbott's loss of 30 Newspolls as a reason for the change. Mr Turnbull has now lost 12 Newspolls.
But speaking on the ABC, Mr Howard said there was no mood to change back to Mr Abbott or to a new candidate.
"I don't think there is any appetite in the Liberal Party for another leadership change," Mr Howard said on 7.30.
"I like and admire Tony a lot and I think he did a great thing leading the Coalition back into government after years in opposition, but I don't think there is any appetite for change."
And he issued what could be interpreted as a veiled warning to Mr Abbott to stop undermining Mr Turnbull.
"I just want to see everybody making their contribution," Mr Howard said.
The former prime minister was speaking ahead of a Liberal Party gathering in Canberra to mark 75 years since Robert Menzies' 'Forgotten People' speech.
Mr Abbott said in an opinion piece published in The Australian that the lesson of Mr Menzies' speech was to know your base, your values and never shirk from a fight.
This could be read as backhanded criticism of Mr Turnbull's leadership given Mr Turnbull is a moderate whom some conservatives claim is out of step with the Liberal Party's base.
Mr Turnbull's big-spending, high-taxing budget has been dubbed a "Labor-lite" budget but earned the backing of Mr Howard on Monday night.
