Australia's FM warns PM of backbench

Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has told Prime Minister Tony Abbott that significant changes need to be implemented if he is to regain the support of aggrieved backbenchers and cabinet members.

Bishop hinted that one of those changes should involve the prime minister's chief of staff, Peta Credlin, who has become a lightning rod for much of the criticism of Abbott's first term in office.

Talking to local media on Tuesday morning, Bishop said although Abbott had acknowledged the concerns of his Liberal Party members, 39 of whom voted for a leadership spill on Monday (in a 100-member party room), now was the time for action to be taken.

"The prime minister must respond to their concerns if they are valid concerns," she said on ABC.

"I'm not going to give the prime minister advice on how to run his office, and I certainly don't expect advice from him on how to run mine, but we both heed the views of the party room.

"I am confident the prime minister will take them into account. "

On Credlin's continuing role as Abbott's chief of staff, and trusted advisor, Bishop stopped short of saying the prime minister should replace Credlin but said the concerns from his own MPs about her level of control needed to be heeded.

"Peta Credlin is a very powerful figure in the sense that she's strong, she has a lot of opinions and she is very protective of the prime minister," Bishop told ABC Radio.

"I think people have been frank and blunt in their the assessment of the prime minister's office and the prime minister is a smart man he will take those issues into account."

Earlier on Tuesday, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten ramped up the pressure on the prime minister when he addressed the Labor Party caucus.

Shorten was critical of the government's management of its first term in power and derided the notion that the Liberal government should have a "fresh start" under a rebranded Abbott.

"Governments lose when they break their promises," he said.

"It is simple, the Liberals told lies. Tony Abbott told lies, the whole of his cabinet have been party to the lies of the last 18 months.

"The Liberals have broken the fundamental covenant of trust with the Australian people.

"That is ... my message to the government. The Australian people do not trust the Liberal Party, and they never will from here on in."

Shorten also highlighted the infighting within Liberal ranks, labelling it as "mutiny".

"Stop worrying about who's in the PM's job or the Treasurer's job and start worrying about Australian jobs," he said. Endi