Isra-Mart srl : Turnbull sticks to climate comments

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Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has denied there is a split in his ranks over climate change as Malcolm Turnbull revealed that colleagues had praised his analysis of the coalition's policy.

Mr Turnbull told ABC Lateline on Wednesday the main advantage of the coalition's direct action policy, from Mr Abbott's point of view, was that it could be "easily terminated if, in fact, climate change is proved to be not true".

The Liberal frontbencher, who lost the leadership in 2009 over his support for an emissions trading scheme (ETS), also said it was "very expensive" to pay polluters directly to reduce emissions.

Mr Turnbull didn't back down from the comments on Thursday, telling the Queensland Media Club he had described the coalition's policy "factually and fairly".

"The feedback I've had from the colleagues that have been in touch with me has been quite positive," he said.

Mr Abbott said Mr Turnbull had given a strong performance in the interview and "fully supports the coalition policy".

Mr Turnbull, whose Brisbane speech on the federal budget came a day after that of opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey, said his relationship with Mr Abbott was "cordial" and they had spoken on Thursday morning.

Asked about his leadership ambition, Mr Turnbull said: "Every member of the House of Representatives has the field marshal's baton, or the leader's baton, in their knapsacks, so nobody would ever discount that sort of ambition completely".

But, he said, he had no doubt Mr Abbott would lead the party to the next election but "can't say there's no doubt he will win it".

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Mr Turnbull was merely telling the truth about the cost of the coalition's policy.

"He told us the truth that it would blow the budget," Ms Gillard said.

"We know Mr Abbott wants to price carbon but he doesn't want to assist Australian families. He's out of step with his conservative colleagues around the world. He's out of step with the world in general."

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said Mr Turnbull had commented "very astutely, with a great deal of political courage, on the need for us to move to a trading system on carbon and to price it".

Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce said the coalition's policy - which includes storing carbon in soil, planting trees and boosting solar power - was valuable whether or not climate change is happening.

"If it's going to make agricultural land better, then it makes agricultural land better if you believe in global warming or you don't," Senator Joyce said.

Mr Turnbull's comments came as opposition climate spokesman Greg Hunt said the coalition's program of "going to the market to purchase the lowest-cost emissions reduction" equated to $15 a tonne, and the British government set an emissions reduction target of 50 per cent by 2025.