Ministers have moved quickly to try and limit fallout from the government’s backdown on cuts to the Medicare rebate, as leaks from the senior ranks of cabinet cast a pall over the last few weeks of the Parliamentary break.

Treasurer Joe Hockey dismissed reports of a split with Prime Minister Tony Abbott over the $20 cut for short visits when it was first decided upon in December. According to one story, which was attributed to a source within the powerful six-person Expenditure Review Committee, Mr Hockey and former Health Minister Peter Dutton argued against the move but Mr Abbott insisted.