SYDNEY - Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott faced further speculation about his future Friday after a senior cabinet minister refused to rule out a party vote on his leadership next week.
Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott speaks to the media at Parliament House in the capital Canberra on March 25, 2014
Christopher Pyne became the latest MP to spur talk that Abbott could lose his job after months of mounting pressure were compounded recently by his much-ridiculed decision to make Britain's Prince Philip a knight.
Pyne was responding to reports that three ministers believe there will be a vote on Tuesday when Liberal Party MPs and Senators hold their first party room meeting of the parliamentary year.
"I can't rule it out," Pyne, who is Education Minister and leader of the house told Nine Network television.
Fading poll numbers and policy backflips have angered backbenchers, while last month's decision to award the British royal has brought matters to ahead.
Late Tuesday, several MPs revolted against the conservative prime minister by calling for a leadership vote.
Asked if he believed Abbott had the numbers to rule out a challenge, Pyne could only offer hope.
"That is a very inexact science, but I hope he does, yes," Pyne said amid reports that barely 30 of the 102 party room members would vote against Abbott.
A simple majority would be needed to oust the prime minister.
Abbott, who has promised greater consultation and an end to some of his more controversial policies, said he expected "business as usual" before the party room.
"So I'm expecting just to get on with business and I'm confident that I've got the full support of cabinet," Abbott told Macquarie Radio.
No one has stood up to run against Abbott and the pundit's favourite, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, said late Thursday the prime minister enjoyed full support.
"There has been nobody that has been looking to appear to be his successor or to be his replacement," he said.
But Turnbull also did not rule out a party room challenge when asked what he thought would happen on Tuesday.
"We'll see. You'll just have to wait and see," he said.
The ruling Liberal-National coalition stormed to power in a September 2013 election, but in polls this week it trailed the opposition Labor Party 46 to 54 percent.
Abbott's rating plunged to just 34 percent.