Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has distanced herself from Prime Minister Tony Abbott's assertion that Coalition MPs backgrounding against his chief of staff, Peta Credlin, are sexist.

News Corp Australia tabloids reported on Sunday that Queensland MP Warren Entsch had lodged a formal complaint with chief whip Philip Ruddock after Mr Abbott's suggestion on Friday that Ms Credlin would not be subject to the same internal criticism if she were a man.

Julie Bishop says MPs upset with Peta Credlin should speak to the Prime Minister. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"Do you really think my chief of staff would be under this kind of criticism if her name was P-E-T-E-R as opposed to P-E-T-A?" Mr Abbott said on Friday.

But Ms Bishop said, "That's not the way I would put it."