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The government's most senior female figure, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, has come to the defence Prime Minister Tony Abbott's top aide, Peta Credlin, whom a senior party official dubbed the "Horsewoman of the Apocalypse".
The reference was made by the Liberal Party's honorary federal treasurer, Phil Higginson, who recently made headlines after an explosive letter he wrote complaining about Ms Credlin's position was leaked to the media.
In that letter, Mr Higginson complained that the Liberal Party had allowed a married couple to virtually control all elements of the party by allowing Ms Credlin to be the Prime Minister's powerful chief of staff while her husband, Brian Loughnane, was also federal director of the party's administrative arm.
"A managing director would never allow his executive assistant to be the wife of the chairman," Mr Higginson wrote.
The ABC's Four Corners program will on Monday night reveal Mr Higginson referred to Ms Credlin as the "Horsewoman of the Apocalypse" in a private text message obtained by the national broadcaster.
"I'm refusing to sign the 2013/14 accounts ... it has brought ... the Horsewoman of the Apocalypse out of her den as you can image [sic]. Black robes flowing. Stay tuned for the hatchet job on me ... it's hurting me just mainly watching the party suicide."
The text was sent to a senior Liberal figure in late 2014, the program claims.
"I do hope you can negotiate the removal of Credlin. That would be a huge win in itself," Mr Higginson also wrote.
The episode, titled "House of Cards", has examined events leading up to the failed attempt to oust Mr Abbott from office in early February.
Liberal MPs and staff members complain Ms Credlin is too controlling of the government's affairs and repeatedly blocks alternative sources of advice from reaching Mr Abbott.
In the past, Ms Credlin has clashed with Ms Bishop but on Monday the Foreign Minister rushed to Ms Credlin's defence.
"It's very colourful language," Ms Bishop told Sky News.
"It's deeply unfortunate it has been said and been made public.
"The less the internal workings of the Liberal Party are made public, the better off for everybody."
But cabinet minister Scott Morrison did not choose to defend Ms Credlin when asked about the story, saying he does not read people's private messages.
"I don't make anything of it, I don't go around reading everybody's text messages and emails," Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
Mr Abbott last year said he expected commentary around Ms Credlin would be different if she were a man.
