Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has laid down a warning to Coalition colleagues who are complaining about the Prime Minister’s performance.

Internal discontent with Tony Abbott intensified this week when he knighted the Queen’s husband Prince Philip without consulting his party room.

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Today Mr Hockey said the Coalition risked repeating the mistakes made by the Labor caucus under the previous government.

“Everyone’s entitled to a view, but I would just say to people we do not want to become a carbon copy of a bad Labor government, the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government,” he told reporters in Sydney’s far west.

“We need to focus on doing the job at hand, which is making Australians richer and creating more jobs.”

Mr Hockey was questioned about why some backbenchers believe the Prime Minister is struggling to connect with voters.

“I will leave that to commentators,” he said.

“I resolved this year… not to engage in commentary or gossip.

“Please let me try and keep that resolution.”