Union leader revealed Abbott location

Representatives of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy have identified unionist Kim Sattler as the person who told indigenous people on Thursday that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was in a Canberra restaurant.

About 200 people surrounded the restaurant after they had incorrectly heard that Mr Abbott had called for the destruction of the tent embassy, which is near the restaurant.

Tony Hodges, a media adviser to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, resigned on Friday after revealing Mr Abbott was inside the restaurant.

A person believed to be Ms Sattler, the secretary of Unions ACT, passed the information on to tent embassy representatives.

"This person said Tony Abbott is in the coffee shop talking to the press about closing down the Aboriginal Tent Embassy," embassy representative Barbara Shaw told reporters on Saturday.

"She clearly stated `tell people'. So that's what I did."

"They (media representatives) clearly stated that it was Kim Sattler speaking to me. It's recorded on a number of videos."

Ms Shaw identified a photograph of Ms Sattler that was handed to her.

One of the founders of the tent embassy, Michael Anderson, said Ms Sattler had spoken to him as well.

"She came and then she went away and, because I didn't respond, she went to other people," he said.

"All she said was `Michael, the prime minister's office would like to talk to you'."

Mr Anderson said he believed the protest outside the restaurant on Thursday was a set-up.

"Someone set us up. They set the prime minister up. They set Abbott up," he said.

"And they knew that feelings and emotions were running high here and I think they knew that reaction would occur."

Ms Gillard insisted Mr Hodges did not say or suggest that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had called for the tent embassy to be torn down.

On Saturday, Ms Gillard said journalists at the restaurant had told Mr Hodges that Mr Abbott had made comments earlier in relation to the tent embassy and called for people to move on with the times.

"Mr Hodges, in having received this information from journalists waiting at The Lobby restaurant, formed the view that these comments should be responded to," Ms Gillard told reporters in Melbourne.

The prime minister said Mr Hodges first contacted ACT Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Chris Bourke.

When Dr Bourke was unavailable, he was referred to Ms Sattler.

Ms Gillard said Mr Hodges spoke to Ms Sattler by phone.

"Mr Hodges accurately conveyed to her the statement made by Mr Abbott," she said.

"At no point did Mr Hodges say to Ms Sattler that Mr Abbott had suggested that the tent embassy be torn down or removed in any way."

She said Mr Hodges suggested to Ms Sattler that it may be appropriate for a couple of Aboriginal spokespeople to go to the restaurant to respond to Mr Abbott's remarks, to which she took offence.

"Mr Hodges in taking these actions acted alone and his actions were not authorised. Clearly they are viewed by me as unacceptable."

Ms Gillard said she was angry at Mr Abbott for suggesting she had a part in the disruption.

"For it to be insinuated that I would play some role in disrupting an event to recognise Australians who had performed miracles during a natural disaster is deeply offensive," she said.

"And it is absolutely typical of Mr Abbott's negativity and his tendency to go too far."

Earlier, Mr Abbott called on Ms Gillard to give precise details about the circumstances of the resignation of one of her staff.

The opposition leader said Ms Gillard needed to face the cameras.

"What did he (Mr Hodges) say precisely? To whom did he say it precisely? Why did he say it precisely? And what instructions was he under precisely?" Mr Abbott told Sky News on Saturday.

"This is too important for the PM and her office to just spin it away.

"I'm sure there are decent people in the prime minister's office, but it looks like a pretty grubby business."

Mr Abbott said the staffer's behaviour was a poor attempt to manipulate something for political reasons.

"In part at least, it seems that a member of the prime minister's senior staff was trying to trigger something potentially dire for political advantage," he said.

He said the incident was a serious security breach during which the law may have been broken.

"I think that when you've got a serious security breach involving our nation's leaders, yes, it does have to be fully investigated," Mr Abbott said.

"And obviously, what triggered it has to be fully investigated."