Tony Abbott says there has been "more continuity than discontinuity" between his government and Malcolm Turnbull's and flagged he will continue to defend his record as Prime Minister arguing that doing so is in the Coalition's interests.

The former prime minister said he was proud of his legacy, which he said also belonged to Mr Turnbull given he was a senior member of the Abbott government.

Two weeks ago, Mr Turnbull unknowingly appropriated a catchprase from the US satirical sitcom Veep and said the Coalition had experienced "continuity and change" with the leadership transition. Veep comedy writer Simon Blackwell later described the phrase as the "most meaningless slogan" his team could devise.