Tony Abbott is happy being the member for Warringah and 'aspires to be nothing more than a strong backbench parliamentarian', according to his former chief of staff, Peta Credlin.

It follows comments from a close friend of Mr Abbott, Catherine McGregor, who said the former prime minster won't be content sitting silently on the backbench, and will continue to accept speaking engagements some see as destabilising.

'Only the discipline of the cabinet can completely align Abbott with his own avowed mission, the re-election of this government,' she said in her News Corp column on Tuesday.

Ms Mcgregor also said Mr Abbott would be an 'ideal minister for Indigenous affairs'.

However Peta Credlin has told Sky News the former prime minister doesn't want to be another Kevin Rudd.

'I know there are elements in the media to the left of the spectrum that want to paint him out as some sort of Kevin Rudd, they've wanted to do that the day after the leadership spill last September,' Ms Credlin told Sky News on Tuesday.

'Tony Abbot is enjoying being the member for Warringah and he is not causing trouble, he played I think a very constructive campaign for the Coalition,' she said.

Ms Credlin said the perceived rift between the pair was designed by people who sought to destabilise the government.

'I don't think Tony Abbot wants a job in cabinet and I certainly don't think the prime minister wants to give him one or could be cajoled or compelled in any way to give him one,' she said.

'If he gets poked in the eye he will speak up, if his legacy is diminished in any way from how he wants his legacy retailed he will defend it, and as a former prime minister he always has a megaphone that is bigger and larger than any other backbencher.'

Ms Credlin rejected claims Mr Abbott was vying for the Indigenous affairs portfolio.

'Tony Abbot does not want the Indigenous affairs portfolio, not because he doesn't believe it is one of the most important jobs in government - he does,' she said.

'He has fought on this issue for most of his parliamentary life and he is absolutely fair dinkum when he says he wants to make life better for Indigenous people and he means that, but he believes that Indigenous affairs has to be driven from the top by the prime minster.'