Tony Abbott 'takes responsibility' for marble table smashed at farewell drinks

It is still unknown what caused the table to break

Mr Abbott confirmed he “hosted drinks in the Cabinet anteroom for staff and colleagues” after being ousted by Malcolm Turnbull. (Stefan Postles/Getty Images)

Tony Abbott has said he will “take responsibility” for a marble table that smashed during a farewell party for the former Australian prime minister.

Mr Abbott confirmed in a statement that he had “hosted drinks in the Cabinet anteroom for staff and colleagues” on 14 September, after he was ousted by Malcolm Turnbull.

He also confirmed “a coffee table was damaged” during the drinks.

“I have asked my office to have the Department of Parliamentary Services invoice me for the value of the table," the statement said.

“It was my event so I take responsibility for it.”

Mr Abbott released the statement just hours after a Senate committee hearing, which revealed new information about the broken table and the party, which has since earned the Twitter hashtag #marbletablegate.

Labour Senator Penny Wong, who led the questioning, described the event as "quite the party" holding up pictures of the Italian marble table, bought for $590 in the 1980s, broken into pieces.

Parliamentary staff told the hearing they were unable to access to the scene of the party for three days, while emails obtained by the Department of Parliamentary Services, based on reports by cleaners, suggested pieces of marble were seen in other ministerial offices the morning after the party, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The email to DPS officer Rob Barnes reportedly said: "It is understood the table may have been damaged by persons standing or dancing up on it. Anecdotally, we have been advised that pieces of the table top were present on the floor on Tuesday morning and more pieces have since been seen in the ministerial offices."

Ms Wong queried why no immediate investigation into the damage was called, saying it would be normal protocol in “any other work place” if a table was smashed at a leaving party.

"It's kind of unusual for ministers to have shards or fragments of marble in their offices, correct?" Ms Wong asked.

DPS officer John Ryan replied: "There are many things that are in ministers' offices, I wouldn't like to comment."

The president of the Senate, Stephen Parry, said: “There’s a serious issue of breach of confidentiality… I am dubious about reports of marble being found, because cleaners would not be able to report on that.”

DPS said they received a quote for a new table under $1,000 and another “well over that amount," according to the Australian Financial Review.

At present it is still unknown what caused the table to break.

SMH also reported that Mr Abbott danced shirtless on the night.