It's not every day a diner finds themselves seated metres from former prime minister Tony Abbott. If you were though, you'd hardly be surprised to see The Australian's national affairs editor Simon Benson sitting opposite.

On Monday night, one lucky guest at the restaurant of Canberra's Kurrajong Hotel was so blessed. Furthermore, this person listened intently, and took fairly comprehensive notes.

The freewheeling conversation covered many bases. Abbott complimented Health Minister Greg Hunt (an outstanding minister), Energy Minister Angus Taylor (not the life of a party but a really decent bloke) and his predecessor Josh Frydenberg (energetic). As for the temporary Prime Minister? He almost cried on TV when discussing children on Nauru. "He looked like he was starting to tear up. The PM shouldn't get teary in public."

Tony Abbott on Scott Morrison: "He looked like he was starting to tear up. The PM shouldn't get teary in public." Alex Ellinghausen

Especially not about that, Benson shot back. "The only people who give a shit about the kids on Nauru are in Kooyong and Wentworth." Er, we'd hazard a guess that the only federal electorate with more resident climate change warriors in Range Rovers is … Warringah!

Abbott, Benson later recommended, just "had to stop reading Fairfax and listening to the bloody ABC". "I mean without them, you wouldn't hear this negative stuff." We don't disagree with this advice.