Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he has no plans to change the way the ABC operates, despite criticising the public broadcaster for showing "poor judgement" in publishing leaked documents about Australia's intelligence gathering operations.

His comments came after ABC managing director Mark Scott again defended publishing the Indonesian spying revelations, and amid internal Coalition calls to reform the ABC.

Revelations that Australia had tapped the phones of Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and members of his inner circle sparked a diplomatic crisis between Indonesia and Australia, with the issue still not completely resolved.

Mr Abbott says the ABC was guilty of "very poor judgement" in publishing the stories, but stopped short of saying he would take action against the public broadcaster.

"I think the ABC were guilty of poor judgment in broadcasting that material which was obviously difficult for Australia's national security and long-term best interests," he said.

"As for the ABC's other activity, I can understand why a lot of people in the media think that it's not a level playing field when it comes to competition, given that the ABC is funded to the tune of a billion dollars or so a year by the taxpayer, but it's been thus for many a long year and this Government has no plans to change that."

He was also critical of the ABC jointly publishing the espionage leaks relating to Indonesia with The Guardian.

"My intention is to speak plainly and candidly with the Australian people in the hope that ABC management will see sense," he said.

"Why should the ABC be acting as an advertising agent for a left-wing British newspaper?"

Communication Minister Malcolm Turnbull had earlier raised similar concerns, reportedly telling a Liberal Party function on Friday that it was an "error of judgement" for the ABC to publish the story.

"[The Guardian] were going to publish it and they just basically wanted a partner to help them amplify their publication," Mr Turnbull said.

"It wasn't as if this was a result of a year-long investigation by Sarah Ferguson and the team at Four Corners."

Mark Scott defends publishing spying revelations

But Mr Scott says it was a significant news story that deserved publication.

"I would say that every politician I meet has a view and a perspective on ABC stories or ABC programming," he said.

"The Guardian Australia came to us on that original story.

"We independently reported it and we checked it out and went to our own sources around it.

"We're an independent media organisation. Sometimes we publish stories that politicians won't be happy about but we are an independent media organisation, that is the role we need to play."

Internal calls to reform the ABC

Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi led a charge against the ABC in a Coalition party room meeting, accusing it of "cannibalising" the commercial media and calling for reform.

He mocked the public broadcaster's motto saying it was "their ABC" and said it should not have published the spying revelations.

Senator Bernardi also told colleagues the ABC did not need four television channels and was a "taxpayer-funded behemoth".

Mr Turnbull disagreed with Senator Bernardi and backed Mr Scott, although he did express concern about "last-century work practices at the ABC".

But Senator Bernardi's criticisms were backed by Liberal Nationals Senator Ian MacDonald and Speaker Bronwyn Bishop.

Sources said there was strong support amongst Coalition MPs at the meeting for the criticism of the ABC and that one MP's interjection that former Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella be appointed managing director was warmly received.

Mr Turnbull has previously questioned whether allowing advertising on the ABC would be in the commercial media's best interest given the ABC has many high-rating programs.