Heffernan says he's the caller

Senior Liberal senator Bill Heffernan has outed himself as "the devil" that called independent MP Rob Oakeshott's home.

Mr Oakeshott's wife asked who was calling when Senator Heffernan called their family home to speak to the independent.

That phone call and others from coalition members to independents have been branded "Rambo-style" by Mr Oakeshott.

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Senator Heffernan had owned up to being the caller, media reports said.

He has been contacted by AAP for comment.

Mr Oakeshott is one of three country independents who will determine which party forms minority government.

He has also accused the Nationals of running a smear campaign against him and demanded Opposition Leader Tony Abbott explain if it is part of a broader coalition strategy.

He said he had talked on the phone to Mr Abbott on Monday following the rogue call and the opposition leader assured him he was acting in good faith.

"It is a confidence test of him (Mr Abbott) whether he is going to be able to manage his troops for the next three years," he told reporters.

"Either as rogue elements or in a strategic sense, if they are running a campaign to destabilise where we are at, to send everyone back to the polls, to spend $50 million of taxpayers money."

Mr Oakeshott said Mr Abbott had assured him he didn't want this to derail the process.

"This cannot be the way business is done for the next three years if people such as me, Bob Katter and Tony Windsor are going to back them," Mr Oakeshott said.

Asked about the identity of the caller he said he intended to play the ball not the man and hoped Mr Abbott would do the same.

"I would hope, whether they are rogue elements within the ranks or whether this is a strategic decision by the coalition, that can get clarified today so that they can come to the table this week," he said.

"They are a legitimate players in this. They are close to getting government. I wouldn't have thought this is the smartest strategy by them."

Liberal senator Mitch Fifield said it was important parliamentary colleagues treated each other right during this delicate time.

He denied the coalition was unravelling under as the pressure mounts.

"I don't think we are tearing ourselves apart on the coalition side of politics, it's clearly Labor that is doing that," Senator Fifield told Sky News.

"You've got people running around with meataxes looking for Karl Bitar," he told Sky News on Monday.

"You've got Senator Mark Arbib, who is in witness protection program at the moment, being pulled off the Q&A television program.

"Labor are in absolute disarray ..."

But Labor MP Mark Butler said it was natural the party's campaign would be questioned after both sides failed to win an absolute majority.

The Nationals will meet for the first time since the election in Canberra, with newly elected WA MP Tony Crook joining the party room for the first time.

Mr Crook, who ousted veteran Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey, has said he is not keen to join the coalition party room, initially entertaining the idea of siding with Labor until Prime Minister Julia Gillard refused to rule out the mining tax.

Nationals MPs are keen to reap the benefits of stronger representation in the coalition party room and get a better deal for its constituents, not just the independents.

NSW Nationals senator John Williams said his constituents deserved the same sweeteners the three independents were demanding.

Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie is set to meet with Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott on Monday afternoon.

He has brought with him a long wish list of things he wants achieved nationally and locally, but says it represents his priorities rather than demands.

Melbourne Greens MP Adam Bandt was continuing talks with Labor in Canberra.