Tony Abbott has urged Malcolm Turnbull to revisit some of the aspects of the infamous 2014 budget and toughen up his message on power prices in some end-of-year advice that will hover over the Turnbull government as it enters into the final parliamentary week for the year.

The former prime minister also made it clear he would like to return to the frontbench, suggesting he would be less able to free range on policy ideas if he was bound by the discipline of cabinet.

Mr Abbott said the Coalition needed to be a "sensible centre right government" if it wanted to fend off the inroads One Nation was making into its voter base and improve its position against Labor in the opinion polls.

"We have to sharpen the differences, not minimise them," Mr Abbott told Sky News on Sunday morning, "with a whole hearted and single minded focus."