Brendan Nelson appears safe as Liberal leader for the moment despite continuing disastrous polls and the fireworks of former treasurer Peter Costello's memoirs.
Key Nelson backer and shadow defence minister Nick Minchin predicted yesterday there would be no attempt to roll Dr Nelson at tomorrow's party room meeting.
''I'm not expecting a spill,'' Senator Minchin told Channel Ten's Meet the Press yesterday.
''The party has got to get behind the leader. If we show the sort of unity and discipline that we did show in government then I think this Government is vulnerable.''
Senator Minchin's comments were backed by his colleague Joe Hockey.
''There's no wriggle room, the leadership firstly is not vacant. Brendan Nelson is doing an exceptional job in difficult circumstances,'' Mr Hockey said.
As Malcolm Turnbull himself seems to be discouraging a spill at this time, the possibility of it happening is low.
Yesterday, Liberal foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb dismissed the prospect of Mr Costello returning to leadership, saying, ''There will be no resurrection.
''We can't be held captive to a messiah complex ... that often has plagued our party,'' Mr Robb told ABC TV's Insiders program.
''We need to get on with it now.''
The respected Liberal strategist said Mr Costello would need to leave Parliament.
''He has no long-term future as a backbencher. He has said this week that he will be moving on.''
Mr Robb is one of the names being touted as a possible shadow treasurer to Malcolm Turnbull should he take the leadership, but when asked about this he said that he was ''privileged to have the job that I've got''.
''The focus must be on giving Brendan the opportunity to lead us and lead us effectively,'' he said.
Other names mentioned in the running to be shadow treasurer should Mr Turnbull become leader include current deputy leader and Mr Turnbull's friend Julie Bishop, as well as Tony Abbott, Peter Dutton and Mr Hockey.
Tomorrow, Mr Costello launches his memoirs at the National Press Club, with the book appearing in book stores for the recommended price of $55.
Mr Hockey said yesterday that the public was bored with the leadership issue.
''I am bored, as the Australian electorate is, with the speculation on Liberal Party leadership,'' he told the Channel Nine Sunday program.
''Quite frankly, I think it is time for people to move away from focusing on the Liberal leadership and start focusing on the lack of leadership in the Labor Party.''
Mr Hockey said there was an ''obsession'' around Mr Costello's memoirs.
''Peter Costello is perfectly entitled to document his version of ... the Coalition Howard years,'' Mr Hockey said.
''There is a long line of Labor politicians who have written books; when a Liberal politician writes a book it seems to be quite an event.'' with AAP
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