Former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer says he is still to make up his mind about his political future. 

Mr Downer was widely expected to retire by the next election, but newspaper reports today suggest he has told his colleagues he is considering staying in Federal Parliament with an eye on Malcolm Turnbull's current job as treasury spokesman. 

This morning a spokeswoman for Mr Downer issued a statement saying Liberal leader Brendan Nelson makes the decisions on the shadow ministry. 

The statement also said that Mr Turnbull would remain as shadow treasurer no matter what he [Mr Downer] chose to do. 

Mr Downer says he will not be speaking to the media today. 

On Friday Liberal frontbencher Tony Abbott said Mr Turnbull was the 'heir apparent' for Dr Nelson's job as Opposition Leader. 

Downer Leaving Job Decision Up To Nelson 

meanwhile, the word from the chorus line …..

Uncertainty surrounding the Coalition's leadership looks set to continue, with frontbencher Joe Hockey saying questions over the party's future will plague the Opposition for at least the next year. 

Six months after the Coalition's election loss, Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson continues to fend off questions about his leadership. 

Last week the treasury spokesman Malcolm Turnbull refused to rule out challenging Dr Nelson for the party's top job. 

Mr Hockey says books and television programs on the Howard years will be released over the coming months and that will mean more speculation about the Coalition's future.

'We will have a lot of static on the screen for perhaps the next 12 months,' he said. 

Coalition Can Write-Off Next 12 Months: Hockey