Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stamped his authority over cabinet with new rules about teleconferencing and procedures that appear to give him greater sway over the direction of the budget.

A new edition of the Cabinet Handbook, which sets out directions for how the highest level of government operates, was quietly released this week and contained a number of changes.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has changed the cabinet rules to make clear ministers should attend in person. Credit:AAP

Mr Morrison has instructed ministers to attend all cabinet meetings in person "unless there are exceptional circumstances that prevent this", in which case it "may be permissible" to phone in if agreed by cabinet secretary Andrew Shearer, in consultation with the PM.

One cabinet minister suggested Mr Morrison was "not unduly" cracking down on truancy, although it would force all 23 cabinet ministers to take more flights at taxpayers' expense.