Liberal MP Ewen Jones has taken veteran senator Ian Macdonald to task in front of his colleagues, after the disgruntled senator publicly rebuked Prime Minister Tony Abbott for arriving late to the party room meeting.

Mr Abbott was in Melbourne on Tuesday morning visiting the Peter MacCallum cancer institute, where he outlined the government's commitment to science and research.

Liberal MP for Herbert, Ewen Jones, stood up for Tony Abbott in the Coalition party room after the Prime Minister was criticised for keeping his Coalition colleagues waiting. Credit:Glen McCurtayne

But several sources said Senator Macdonald was annoyed the Prime Minister's early morning appointment made him 60 minutes late for the regular private meeting of Coalition MPs held ahead of the resumption of Parliament, and questioned Mr Abbott's priorities.