http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/16432576/albanese-has-smiths-backing-...

Defence Minister Stephen Smith supports Anthony Albanese remaining in cabinet in the post-leadership ructions reshuffle.

But Mr Albanese's opposition counterpart Christopher Pyne says the position of the government's leader in the lower house is untenable.

Mr Albanese supported Kevin Rudd's leadership tilt in February 2012.

But before the leadership vote last Thursday, the transport and infrastructure minister said he wouldn't support toppling a prime minister.

"The idea that we could defeat Tony Abbott after a divisive contest in the caucus room six months before an election is something that I would never support," Mr Albanese said on Sunday.

As it turned out, Mr Rudd didn't put his hand up on Thursday and Prime Minister Julia Gillard kept her position unopposed.

Frontbenchers and whips who publicly supported Mr Rudd's tilt have since resigned or, in the case of Simon Crean, been sacked.

Mr Pyne said it was untenable for Mr Albanese and fellow cabinet members Mark Butler and Bob Carr to continue in their roles.

"You can't have Anthony Albanese leading the House for Julia Gillard in whom he hasn't expressed confidence," he told ABC TV on Sunday.

"He will have to go or the instability will continue."

But Mr Smith said there was no basis for those ministers to go.

Their position was entirely different to that of former parliamentary secretary Richard Marles or whip Joel Fitzgibbon, who had publicly campaigned for Mr Rudd.

"People who have to think about their position are those people who say and do things which are inconsistent with their executive position," Mr Smith told Network Ten.

"Anthony Albanese made it clear after the failed leadership challenge by Kevin Rudd back in February last year ... that he would be absolutely loyal to the government and to her (Ms Gillard) from that moment on and he was."

There had to be "zero tolerance for disunity".

Ms Gillard is expected to unveil her new front bench before a community cabinet meeting in Perth on Wednesday.

Greens leader Christine Milne wants to see climate change and energy amalgamated into one portfolio.

"You can't have an energy minister running a completely counter campaign to trying to reduce emissions," she told Network Ten.

Meanwhile, the opposition still plans to move a no-confidence motion in the government when parliament resumes for the budget sitting in May.

If the motion is successful, Mr Abbott could ask the governor-general to call an election immediately.

Mr Abbott said if the crossbenchers were listening to their electorates they would join the coalition and vote for the no-confidence motion.

"The current government and all of the deceptions, the broken promises, the incompetence, the untrustworthiness all stem from too many backroom, closed-door deals," he said.

"We want the people to be determining the government and the prime minister."

Mr Albanese and Mr Smith are confident the cross bench will continue to support the government.

"No responsible alternative prime minister could on budget day want the parliament of Australia to be distracted by a no-confidence motion," Mr Albanese said.

"He'd rather Australia lose than the government succeed."

Some people are born to lead, while some are born to follow. Albo was born to do as he is told.