Foreign Minister Julie Bishop demanded to be sent to international talks on climate change after Tony Abbott blocked her initial proposal to go, according to a report by Fairfax.

It is alleged the minister argued before a full cabinet meeting that not sending a representative to the meeting would become a dominant political and media issue for Australia.

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Ms Bishop arrives at the United Nations Climate Summit in Peru on Tuesday to meet with 190 other countries, and will be accompanied by Trade Minister Andrew Robb.

While the Sydney Morning Herald reported the story came from “informed government sources”, while Fairfax stablemate the Australian Financial Review claimed Ms Bishop spoke to them directly about the disagreement.

Last week, Ms Bishop reportedly went ‘bananas’ at Prime Minister Tony Abbott after it was decided Mr Robb – who shares similarly conservative views on climate change – would be sent to Peru as Ms Bishop’s chaperone.

Australia is facing mounting pressure to do more on the issue of climate change, with a new Fairfax Ipsos poll showing 57 per cent of voters are unimpressed with the Abbott government’s measures.

A new report also shows Australia is the second worst-performing developed country on tackling climate change, performing only better than Saudi Arabia.