Malcolm Turnbull has described former prime ministers Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd as "miserable ghosts" and taken aim at his former colleagues for "blowing up" the government.

Speaking to young leaders in New York on Friday, Mr Turnbull made scathing remarks about the "crazy" Liberal leadership crisis that led to his eviction in August.

Mr Turnbull pointed out he was behind 51 to 49 per cent in the published polls but was actually ahead by four points in internal tracking polls across 40 marginal seats.

"But for reasons that they've not been able to explain, you know, there was an element of the party and of the media that wanted to blow the government up, and they did," he said in a recording of his remarks obtained by Nine News.

"And of course, they didn't get their guy up, they got ScoMo (Scott Morrison)."

Referring to former prime ministers Mr Abbott and Mr Rudd, Mr Turnbull said it was important not to be driven by hate.

"When you stop being prime minister, that's it," he said.

"There is no way I'd be hanging around like embittered Kevin Rudd or Tony Abbott. Seriously, these people are like, sort of miserable, miserable ghosts."

At first, there was some confusion as to whether Mr Turnbull had called the former prime ministers "lipid", like an insoluble fat, or likened them to "limpets", a kind of sea snail known for its ability to cling on.

But in a tweet, Mr Turnbull clarified that he had said "embittered", which he can be heard saying on a careful listening of the tape.

I hate to spoil a good lipid or limpet (or lipidinous limpet) story - but the adjective mistaken for, variously, an indissoluble fat or a tenacious sea slug is “embittered” I guess an iPhone at 50 paces is not an ideal recording device! — Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) October 1, 2018

Important correction to the text of the speech by @TurnbullMalcolm in New York from someone in the room. He said Rudd and Abbott were “hanging around like LIMPET” (which is a tenacious sea snail) not LIPID (which is a molecule and makes no sense). https://t.co/4HmVQgVlQU — Chris Uhlmann (@CUhlmann) October 1, 2018

Federal Labor MP Anne Aly said she agreed with Mr Turnbull's character assessments but she wouldn't necessarily adopt his choice of words.

"I do think it's disappointing to a lot of Australians when you see this kind of white-anting from people within their own parties," the opposition MP told Sky News.

"I kind of agree with Malcolm Turnbull - I think he's probably got a bit more experience in politics than I have - so I think him pointing it out is correct.

"The fact is Tony Abbott has been fairly disruptive, but it's not just him, there are deep schisms within the coalition."

AAP

Speaking ahead of the airing of the recording, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he sympathised with his former boss.

"It's a pretty challenging situation to be prime minister one day and not the next," he told Nine Network.

"But what we have seen, through the strong economic numbers that the government has released, is that he can take a lot of credit for that."

The treasurer said he stuck by Mr Turnbull right through the Liberal leadership crisis.

"But the party room spoke, we are getting on with it, and Scott Morrison has made a fantastically strong start," Mr Frydenberg said.

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Appearing on the ABC Insiders program on Sunday, Mr Morrison said he was confident the government would have won the next election under Mr Turnbull.

Mr Morrison deflected all blame for the leadership insurrection to Liberal MPs who voted for it.

"As John Howard always said, the leadership of the parliamentary Liberal Party is the gift of the parliamentary party and you respect their decisions and you get on with your job," he said.