"I am a good man in a crisis," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has declared, uttering the word politicians usually try to avoid.

Key points: Stefanovic accused Mr Turnbull of waffling, to which the PM responded "you are being very patronising"

Stefanovic accused Mr Turnbull of waffling, to which the PM responded "you are being very patronising" PM also hit back at Bill Shorten over citizenship deal, after previously describing yesterday's fruitless meeting as "constructive"

PM also hit back at Bill Shorten over citizenship deal, after previously describing yesterday's fruitless meeting as "constructive" Penny Wong says PM is demonstrating petulance and desperation

He was defending himself after an accusation that he was waffling during a morning television interview infuriated the Prime Minister.

After being goaded during the interview, Mr Turnbull took the bait and accused Channel Nine host Karl Stefanovic of being patronising.

As the citizenship crisis drags on, Mr Turnbull has reversed his position from yesterday and accused Bill Shorten of exploiting the issue for political gain.

A meeting between the two leaders ended yesterday without agreement about how to ensure all members of Parliament are eligible under the constitution.

Yesterday Mr Turnbull described it as a constructive meeting.

"I make no criticism of Mr Shorten whatsoever in this regard, he wants to get further advice and consult with others," he said.

But today he changed that view and accused Mr Shorten of not being "fair dinkum".

"He wants to exploit this issue, he wants to prolong it, he doesn't want to resolve it," Mr Turnbull told Channel Seven.

"He certainly didn't come to sort it out."

He added later, in the Channel Nine interview: "I sat there with my iPad for two hours with him and I could not get him to specify what changes he wanted.

"He said he had to get more advice, he had to consult someone.

"I thought he was the Leader of the Opposition."

Shorten gives revised proposal, asks for Fifield to be referred

Mr Shorten today wrote to Mr Turnbull setting out his new conditions for a citizenship process.

He spelled out he wanted politicians to have to provide evidence of where their grandparents were born.

The Opposition Leader also called for Parliament's disciplinary committee to investigate what it described as the cover-up of Stephen Parry's citizenship status.

The former senate president resigned last week after discovering he is a dual British citizen by descent.

But it was revealed Mr Parry had earlier raised concerned about his citizenship with colleagues including Communications Minister Mitch Fifield.

Mr Shorten said Mr Turnbull should refer Senator Fifield, and any other MPs involved, to Parliament's Privileges Committee.

Labor's Senate leader Penny Wong said Mr Turnbull's comments this morning were petulant.

"I think he is demonstrating that he is simply diminished and desperate," Senator Wong said.

She said Labor had been clear about the changes it wanted to Mr Turnbull's proposal on citizenship.

The Opposition wants the matter sorted out by December 1, not later in the month.

And she said it should be widened so that politicians had to give more details about their ancestors to ensure there was enough information to tell if they were eligible.

PM asked if Government can survive citizenship saga

Mr Turnbull leaves Australia today for a series of international meetings, including one with US President Donald Trump.

In the antagonistic pre-departure interview, Stefanovic said Mr Turbull was bogged down in detail and questioned whether his Government would survive.

"I can assure you that is what I am doing, I am going to APEC today," the Prime Minister said.

"Everyone else gets frenzied particularly in the media. I am very calm."

Stefanovic pushed again: "The perception is you are supposed to be running the country but you can't even run your own party."

"Karl, that is nonsense," Mr Turnbull shot back.

"Look at all the big issues we have dealt with recently, you know the same-sex marriage postal survey … the National Energy Guarantee that's got overwhelming support in our party."