Business leaders and the back bench have continued to pile pressure on Tony Abbott’s role as PM, with some saying he should go to lift the economy.

Woolworths CEO Grant O’Brien has been reported in The Age as saying that the instability at the top level of government has affected the company’s bottom line as consumer confidence continued to fall.

Former News Limited boss and now and head of Prime Media, John Hartigan, went further saying Abbott’s leadership was now terminal.

“No. I think his opportunity is gone. Even his strongest supporters are now detractors,” Mr Hartigan was reported as saying.

“But as I say, he has appeared as if he doesn’t want to face up to the realities of his political life. He is letting them slip through his fingers day by day.”

Mr Hartigan said the prime minister’s performance was directly affecting the economy.

“It’s very significant. I have not seen Australia, in so many economic areas – and I’m not speaking about our industry, I’m speaking across the board – at such a crossroads,” he said.

Meantime, a new joint military deployment to Iraq will dominate today’s annual bi-lateral talks between Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his New Zealand counterpart.

Mr Abbott is this morning sitting down to formal talks with John Key, as he wraps up his first official visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister.

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Discussions between the close friends and political allies are expected to be dominated by national security and the economy.

The annual talks between the leaders of Australia and New Zealand have special symbolic significance this year, with both nations preparing to commentate the centenary of the Anzac landing at Gallipoli.

This week New Zealand announced it would commit up to 143 soldiers as part of the joint military operation, a decision which has sharply divided public opinion.

Asked if he feared this would be his final overseas visit as Prime Minister, Mr Abbott insisted he was getting on with the business of government.

“Obviously I am the subject of the party room and I’m the subject of the electorate,” Mr Abbott said.

“And I’m looking forward to continuing to have the confidence of both.”

Mr Abbott and Mr Key will also attend this afternoon’s Cricket World Cup clash between Australia and New Zealand at Eden Park.

The highly anticipated match in Auckland is sold out, and on Friday evening the leaders were able to meet their respective sides at an ICC Gala dinner.

Meanwhile Mr Abbott’s leadership remains under pressure, with some Liberal MPs telling the ABC that Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull now has the numbers to win a challenge and should use them.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly brushed aside questions about his leadership.

“This government is undistracted, I am undistracted and we are getting on with government because that’s what the people expect of us,” he said yesterday.