TONY ABBOTT has attributed his latest popularity plunge to ''nasty, personal'' attacks by Labor, as Liberal MPs confided their leader needed to cut down his media appearances to soften his own reputation for negativity.

Commenting after the latest Newspoll showed his satisfaction rating had hit a personal low, Mr Abbott sought to project a positive demeanour and said he would not stoop to the ''nasty, personal commentary'' of Labor.

"Every day I'm talking to the people of Australia about what we in the Coalition can do to improve their lives" ... Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

''Every day I'm talking to the people of Australia about what we in the Coalition can do to improve their lives,'' Mr Abbott said in Kevin Rudd's seat of Griffith, where he was launching the campaign of the Liberal candidate, Bill Glasson. ''I just want to talk about how we can be a better country, how we can give new hope to the Australian people, how Australians can be their best selves in the years to come.''

Mr Abbott has been singled by the government in recent months. The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has labelled him a misogynist and sexist. The Climate Change Minister, Greg Combet, is fighting back against Mr Abbott's claims about the carbon tax, describing them as ''complete bullshit''.