Prime Minister Scott Morrison has sought to limit the political fallout of the Liberal leadership coup that gave him the nation's top job and all but ensure it will not be repeated.

Key points: Rules drafted in consultation with former PMs John Howard, Tony Abbott

Rules drafted in consultation with former PMs John Howard, Tony Abbott Morrison said voters had expectation they should determine if PM should continue

Morrison said voters had expectation they should determine if PM should continue Liberal Linda Reynolds said colleagues openly discussing options for months

In an unplanned meeting that caught many Liberal MPs off guard, Mr Morrison's colleagues agreed to make it harder to replace a sitting Liberal prime minister.

From now on, two-thirds of the party room will need to support a leadership spill if there is to be a change of prime minister.

These rules will not apply in opposition or to Mr Morrison because he is yet to win an election as leader.

The higher threshold has been described as the biggest change to Liberal Party processes in more than 70 years.

If the change had been introduced before the August spill, Mr Morrison would not have had enough support to replace Malcolm Turnbull, who would still be prime minister.

The change also acknowledges the significant protest vote registered at the Wentworth by-election and the Victorian election, which could be replicated at a federal poll next year.

Scott Morrison would not have had the partyroom support to replace Malcolm Turnbull in August. ( ABC News: Marco Catalano )

"We understand that frustration, we understand that disappointment, we acknowledge it and we take responsibility for it," Mr Morrison said.

"They're sick of it and we're sick of it and it has to stop, that's why we've put this rule in place."

The Prime Minister said a two-thirds majority on leadership was "rarely, if ever achieved", meaning the change effectively ensures a future Liberal leader will serve a full-term in office.

"I will remain the Prime Minister and will continue to serve as Prime Minister, implementing our plans for the stronger economy that Australians rely on," Mr Morrison said.

The rules were drafted in consultation with former prime minister John Howard and supported by Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop, who were both deposed in leadership spills.

"Frankly, there is no-one living today who has greater experience of the Liberal Party as a leader than John Howard, so I don't have any reservations about acknowledging his special status," Mr Morrison said.

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'This is what voters want'

Mr Morrison said the change would ensure the party meets community expectations while drawing a line under the instability of recent months.

"Australians have the very reasonable expectation that when they elect a government, when they elect a prime minister, they should be the ones to determine if the prime minister is not to continue," Mr Morrison said.

The changes are similar to those introduced by Labor under former party leader Kevin Rudd.

The ALP requires a 75 per cent majority to topple a prime minister and a 60 per cent majority to remove an opposition leader.

Linda Reynolds said voters could expect that the leader of the party they vote for, will remain leader. ( ABC News: Nick Haggarty )

Liberal senator Linda Reynolds said she called for a similar change the day after the August spill and her colleagues had been discussing options for months.

"I think it is something that all Australians want, that when you go to an election you vote for your local member and you have a leader of your party that you expect to be prime minister," Senator Reynolds said.

Liberal senator Amanda Stoker (left) said there was a downside to the change. ( ABC News: Matt Roberts )

Her Upper House colleague, Amanda Stoker, welcomed the change but also pointed out one downside.

"I confess I have an instinctive hesitation because I like the idea that a leader has an incentive to be responsive to the partyroom and someone who can't confidently command half a partyroom should have cause to re-evaluate their approach," Senator Stoker told Sky News.

Senior Labor figures were yet to respond to the change, but Tasmanian senator Lisa Singh said it was unlikely to end what she described as chaos inside the Morrison Government.

"No kind of emergency meeting is going to resolve this chaos," Senator Singh said.

"The only thing that is going to resolve this is going to the people and calling an election, to be honest. I think that's what the people want."