'There are some people who don't support the current leader': Pyne
"It's obvious" some Coalition MPs don't support Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, cabinet minister Christopher Pyne said, as frontbenchers fly into Canberra to shore up support for the National Energy Guarantee and put leadership speculation to rest.
The Minister for Defence Industry acknowledged the open dissent within the Coalition on Sunday night before the high-stakes cabinet dinner at Parliament.
"There are some people who don’t support the current leader and that is quite obvious," he said.
"The overwhelming majority of my party room are 100 per cent behind Malcolm Turnbull as is the cabinet. We have the right policy mix and if we are united we will win the next election."
The debate over the National Energy Guarantee and the emissions reduction target of 26 per cent by 2030 has stoked tension in the Coalition party room, putting Mr Turnbull's leadership under pressure as a conservative block of conservative MPs - led by former prime minister Tony Abbott - openly question the policy.
On Friday, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was forced to hose down speculation he was prepared to make a tilt at the top job.
“In relation to media stories today, just to make very clear, the Prime Minister has my support and I support the policies of the government,” Mr Dutton tweeted.
Minister for Social Services Dan Tehan said Mr Turnbull's leadership was not under threat.
"He's been elected Prime Minister and he's been doing an outstanding job," he said
"I'm looking forward to having a very constructive discussion at dinner this evening. We are making sure we have got a policy that everyone unites behind and we get on with the task of governing for all Australians and taking up it up to the leader of the opposition."
Queensland MPs - fearing a repeat of the Longman byelection would cost them their seats -have been concerned about electricity prices being driven by a renewable energy target, despite modelling showing the target is likely to bring down costs for consumers.
Queensland Liberal Senator James McGrath said the government had to focus on lowering prices.
Energy bills rose by up to six times the average wage rise last year according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
"That is what people are telling me and that is what the government wants to do," he said. "I will support what the government does, I will support what Malcolm does."
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said she would not support legislation that allowed government's to reduce emissions targets through regulation, opening up another battle for the government in the Senate if it fails to secure Labor's support.
"The Labor Party will just want to increase it to 45 per cent - they are in bed with the Greens," she said. "I do not believe in regulation."
Labor Senator Kristina Keneally said Labor could not make any commitments because it did not know what version of the NEG would come out of the Coalition party room on Tuesday.
"The government is hopelessly divided, it is at war with itself," she said. "I don't care how many dinners they have, let's hope there are no sharp knives there.
"The reality is the people of Australia just want them to focus on the people of Australia."