Tourism Minister Richard Colbeck is Tasmania's only MP in Mr Turnbull's ministry and, in a snub to the prime minister, he was relegated to fifth on the state's Senate ticket, behind Senator Abetz, Senate President Stephen Parry, new candidate Jonathon Duniam and Senator David Bushby. Not backing off super reforms: former cabinet minister Eric Abetz. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Senator Abetz is understood to want to return to the frontbench after the election, too, though Mr Turnbull has signalled he is unlikely to make major changes to his line-up if he is re-elected. In comments that will potentially create a political headache for Mr Turnbull on the second day of the federal election campaign, Liberal candidate for the seat of Denison Marcus Allan said Mr Turnbull should promote Senator Abetz after the election. The candidate, who is hoping to win the seat held by independent Andrew Wilkie in a three-cornered contest with Labor's Jane Austin, said: "I would like to see Eric back on the frontbench".

"Eric has been a warrior for Tasmania and while he can polarise opinion, Tasmania owes Eric a massive debt. He is one of the hardest-working pollies from Tasmania," he told Fairfax Media. "I have no doubt that when the time is right, Eric's skills and talents will be recognised." And the party's sixth Senate candidate, John Tucker, has also backed a promotion for Senator Abetz if the Turnbull government is returned on July 2. "He would very much be a valuable addition to Mr Turnbull's frontbench," Mr Tucker told Fairfax Media. "I'm very supportive of Eric Abetz. He does a good job, like all our MPs.

"We need more representation down here, but that [the ministerial line-up] is something for the party." Franklin candidate Amanda-Sue Markham told Fairfax Media she would "absolutely" like to see more Tasmanians in Mr Turnbull's frontbench line-up after the election. "The cabinet is entirely the prerogative of the Prime Minister, who he chooses to be most eligible for the frontbench, it's entirely up to him," she said. Asked directly if Senator Abetz should be returned to the frontbench, Ms Markham said: "I'd like to see any one of them [current Tasmanian MPs] on the frontbench". Senator Abetz deflected questions on Tuesday, saying he was concentrating on helping Malcolm Turnbull's government get re-elected and the ministry was the Prime Minister's prerogative.

"I'm happy to return in whatever capacity the Tasmanian people might elect me to and then, if I do get re-elected as I'm hoping to, then it will be up to others to determine my future," he said. Asked again if he had designs on returning to the ministry, Senator Abetz said his only focus was maximising the Liberal vote in Tasmania. Labor leader Bill Shorten seized on the comments from Tasmanian Liberals, saying the government was "arguing about the spoils of a victory that they haven't won". "We know one thing about July 3, the day after the election, the Liberal Party will be able to get back to doing what they really want to do - an all-out rumble against each other. The Abbott supporters, Abetz versus Turnbull, the Turnbull supporters. This current government cannot govern itself," he said. With Adam Langenberg