Tony Abbott has unleashed a fresh parliamentary assault on the ALP, hoping to blunt claims of bias by his trade union royal commissioner, tag the opposition for job losses from stalled resources projects and brand Labor "xenophobic" for supporting a union scare campaign against the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

Moving to shift the focus from a slew of negative stories dogging his administration in recent weeks, Mr Abbott said Labor was more keen to protect unions than workers, as he positioned the government as dedicated to job creation and economic growth.

But his efforts to regain the upper hand were partly undermined by embarrassing leaks and outbreaks of disunity from his own government.

Within hours of issuing the second threat of "consequences" if ministers departed from the agreed line, discipline collapsed as Employment Minister Eric Abetz launched a scathing attack on his ministerial colleagues, calling them "gutless" for speaking in favour of causes such as same-sex marriage.

Senator Abetz said ministers publicly questioning the government line were "breaking the rules" and that journalists were wrong to report on them.

"I think it's gutless," he told the ABC. "And so if somebody is gutless and in breach of the rules, one really wonders why a journalist even bothers to repeat comments from such an individual."

That brought a sharp retort from another minister who, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said "Abbott's threat of consequences has already been exposed as hollow, if Abetz is not rebuked".

Shortly after that exchange, Fairfax Media revealed that ministers had been told to paint a rosy picture of the disarray by saying "our cabinet is functioning exceptionally well", if asked.

The advice was contained in confidential daily talking points sent to ministerial advisers on Wednesday, designed to navigate around tricky media questions.

The leak was the second such breakdown in security in 24 hours, following Mr Abbott's threat after Monday night's threadbare cabinet agenda was leaked to the Seven Network and the Guardian Australia.

The Coalition's "morning note" is authored in the Prime Minister's office and sent to Mr Abbott's chief of staff, Peta Credlin, deputy chief of staff Andrew Hirst and a key grouping of ministerial advisers across the government.

But it is the advice on what ministers should say, "if asked", about the government's cabinet agenda that is most revealing, with three dot points designed to shut down the issue.

After the leak, Fairfax Media spoke to MPs on the government front and back bench about the febrile atmosphere.

One described Senator Abetz's intervention as "unhelpful" and as "typical Eric".

The MP confirmed there was low-level chatter about the leadership and possible contenders - Malcolm Turnbull, Julie Bishop and Scott Morrison - but said "the sense is that we have to get on with it, at least until Canning [byelection]".

"And there is a massive cost with any change of leader. It is possible to reset but we have to stop the bullshit."

Another MP said he simply didn't know when the ministerial-level leaks and counter-leaks would stop.

A third MP said the government had a strong case to prosecute in targeting Labor over its position on the China free trade agreement and should focus on putting a "blow torch" to Mr Shorten over the issue.

In question time, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten cited the leaked talking points as evidence that the government was descending into chaos, but Mr Abbott hit back.

"What I'm not going to do is accept lectures on cabinet solidarity from a leader of the opposition who backstabbed two prime ministers ... because they couldn't run an effective government," he said.

On the subject of the royal commission into trade union corruption, ministers have been told to say that "Labor's attacks on Justice Dyson Heydon reveal their true objective – to stop the royal commission into union governance opening up the rackets, rorts and rip-offs that continue to be exposed by this royal commission".

The note also states that "the government fully supports the professionalism and impartiality of Dyson Heydon, QC – and we fully support the necessity of a royal commission into union corruption".

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