An anarchist DJ who allegedly headbutted Tony Abbott in Hobart yesterday afternoon says he was motivated by hatred for the former PM rather than the same sex marriage debate.

The 38-year-old Rage Against the Machine fan, who spins tracks under the moniker Astro "Funknukl" Labe, said that a friend had "coincidentally" stuck a pro-gay marriage sticker on him prior to his encounter with Mr Abbott.

"It was nothing really remotely to do with (same sex marriage). It's just about Tony Abbott, the f---ing worm that he is," Labe told reporters this afternoon.

"I want to divorce myself (from the same-sex marriage issue), not because I disagree with their stance, but this was nothing to do with that. That’s just my personal hatred.

"I'd had a skinful just wanted to nut the c---," he said.

"I was a little bit too drunk to actually connect particularly well. Apparently he got a fat lip but he didn't have one this morning, so...he's a politician. I mean liar."

The incident has left Mr Abbott with a small cut on his lip.

Mr Abbott's account bears this out, with the backbencher disparaging the ferocity of the attack in interviews last night, saying his assailant "wasn't very good at it" and adding that his only souvenir was a "very, very slightly swollen lip".

Labe says he regrets the incident, "legally speaking".

The actions of Labe, who has been released on bail, have been seen as a boon to the underdog "No" campaign in the same sex marriage debate.

Ever the shrewd operator, Mr Abbott apparently waited some four hours before reporting the incident to Sky News, which sent anti-marriage equality pundits into uproar at about 8pm last night.

Neither the AFP nor the local police were aware of the incident before Sky broke the story, Nine.com.au confirmed during investigations last night.

Tasmania Police said they contacted Mr Abbott after reports emerged of the assault and he made a formal complaint, while a spokesman for the Australian Federal Police said they did not comment on the "protection arrangements for individuals".

Earlier today Mr Abbott called on Australians to hold a "courteous" debate over marriage equality after speaking to reporters about the incident.

"Now it seems that if you speak out for a concept of marriage which has stood since time immemorial you risk being headbutted in the street," he said.

"Now I think we've come to a pretty sorry pass if that’s where modern Australia is and this is one of the many reasons that I say we should think long and hard before going down this path."