Tony Abbott has described a discussion at Monday afternoon's cabinet meeting where he admonished leakers as a "come to Jesus moment", while addressing his party room meeting on Tuesday.

Responding to the spectacularly detailed account of last week's cabinet discussion over denying citizenship to terrorist supporters – reported by Fairfax Media - the Prime Minister told his backbench that the cabinet leaks had been "disappointing" but had done no harm to the government.

Mr Abbott said he had told his cabinet there would be "political and personal consequences" for leaking.

Another MP said Mr Abbott made clear he had "read the riot act to cabinet" on Monday night.

According to multiple sources within the party room meeting, Mr Abbott had characterised the leak as disappointing rather than damaging and as a preoccupation of people exclusively within the Canberra political scene. As a result, it was of no consequence to people outside the capital, whom he described as "voterland".

"He said out in voterland, the issue of being tough on terrorists and strong on national security is running our way," said one MP.

Another MP said he was intrigued by Mr Abbott's description of his own lecture to the frontbench the previous evening as cabinet's "come to Jesus moment".

Asked what the Prime Minister had meant, the MP said Mr Abbott had been attempting to say the cabinet was given an ultimatum, "You're either on the team or you ain't."

While Mr Abbott did not elaborate to the party room, the expression "a come-to-Jesus moment" is often used in business circles - particularly in the US - to describe the instant at which team members recommit to working in unison or pursue their own interests.

Queensland MP Andrew Laming was one of few to go on the record after Tuesday's party room meeting, telling Fairfax Media, the government's policy of being decisive on national security was "running 100 per cent for the Coalition".

And he said the leak from last week's cabinet meeting had in fact had the perverse effect of reinforcing the government's resolve within the electorate's mind.

"The irony of this episode is it has simply perpetuated the story for 10 days now, that the Abbott government is absolutely determined to take the strongest action to protect the nation – this is now understood in every household in the nation," he said.

Mr Abbott faced stiff resistance from mostly moderate ministers at last week's cabinet meeting when he attempted to extend the powers of the immigration minister to deny citizenship to suspected terrorists even where their right to dual nationality had not been clearly established.

Ministers who spoke up against it included Malcolm Turnbull, Julie Bishop, Christopher Pyne, George Brandis, Barnaby Joyce, and Kevin Andrews.

The plan has also met with resistance on the party's right wing with the firebrand senator Cory Bernardi describing the idea of increasing ministerial power over citizenship as "power creep" and "very dangerous".

Labor leader Bill Shorten pressured the Prime Minister in question time in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, calling on him to elaborate on reports he had warned ministers there would be consequences for leaking.

"What did the Prime Minister mean today when he said there would be political and personal consequences for his ministers who leak from cabinet and what steps has the Prime Minister taken to identify those ministers on his frontbench who are responsible?" Mr Shorten said.

Labor MPs Graham Perrett and Mark Dreyfus were sent out of the chamber for creating a "wall of noise" when Mr Abbott responded by promoting the government's national security policy.

"I want to assure the Leader of the Opposition and members opposite and indeed the entire Australian community that this government has a strong and effective policy to keep our country safe. That's what we have - a strong and effective policy to keep our country safe," Mr Abbott said.

"That was further strengthened by the decision the cabinet made last Monday night.

With Lisa Cox

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