A majority of Australians believe Tony Abbott is trying to get his old job back but only 12 per cent think he's in with a chance – and almost two-thirds want him to pull the pin on his political career and leave Parliament now.

A new poll commissioned by The Australia Institute has found 63.4 per cent of Australians want the former prime minister to retire. Just 26.3 per cent believe he should stay on, while the rest are undecided.

More than half of Coalition voters want him to go, while about three-quarters of Labor and Greens voters think he should leave.

Ben Oquist, the executive director of the left-leaning think tank, says the message is clear.