Prime Minister Tony Abbott has hosed down speculation of a coordinated campaign against Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull over alleged disloyalty and says he expects his ministers to have ambition.

Mr Abbott was in Paris to meet the Queen as world leaders gather in France for the 70th anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings.

AUDIO: PM Abbott meets with the Queen, still faces questions on Turnbull (AM)

But the questions at his first Paris press conference centred on conservative commentators Alan Jones and Andrew Bolt and the suggestion Mr Turnbull is being disloyal to the Prime Minister.

"I think that there has been a bit of overexcited chatter," Mr Abbott said.

"Lots of people in public life are the subject, from time to time, of criticism. It goes with the territory. The point I want to make is that I am very pleased to have Malcolm as a senior member of my government.

"I expect my senior front benchers to be ambitious. There's nothing wrong with ambition," he said.

"I'd be amazed if they didn't. I'd be absolutely amazed if they didn't. I think ambition is almost a pre-requisite for going into Parliament."

VIDEO: Turnbull pauses when asked about coordinated media campaign against him

He says he does not think there is a coordinated campaign against Mr Turnbull by Bolt and Jones, after both men suggested Mr Turnbull is being disloyal to his leader.

"No, Alan is a friend of mine - Andrew Bolt is a friend of mine," he said.

"Occasionally people try to make mischief. That's life when you're in public life."

Mr Abbott also played down talk that he is considering a ministerial reshuffle, with a gap still left to be filled after Arthur Sinodinos stepped aside as Assistant Treasurer in March.

Last night on the ABC's 7.30 program, Mr Turnbull rejected suggestions he might be after the Liberal leadership and said he thought there could be a campaign against him.

"Um …. it certainly - you could form that view, you could form that view," he said.

But he said he was "absolutely certain" the Prime Minister's office was not involved.

"That really would be mad," he said.

Mr Turnbull led the Coalition from September 2008 to December 2009, when Mr Abbott defeated him in a spill motion by one vote.

Liberal MP Craig Laundy, who says he is a close friend of both Mr Abbott and Mr Turnbull, said the Communications Minister is entitled to speak out against his critics.

"What I think Mr Turnbull is doing is defending himself," he said.

"I would like to think that, if I'm placed in the position where stories are circulating about me that are not true – be it me, be it anyone in this place – I would hope that the Australian public would understand that we should have the right to defend ourself [sic]."

[Source: www.abc.net.au]