Who surfaced at Tony Abbott’s underground lunch?

Peter Dutton says enjoying chocolate cake with Tony Abbott and allies doesn’t make him part of an “underground movement”.

Peter Dutton denied any conspiracy and claimed the Fairfax Media journalist who initially reported the meeting has admitted being “a bit embarrassed by the way in which some have tried to portray the catch-up”.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has ridiculed suggestions that his presence at a “catch-up” of Tony Abbott and his factional allies made him part of an “underground movement” against Malcolm Turnbull.

Some government MPs are concerned about the Tuesday meeting of conservative friends being dubbed “the resistance”, amid chatter that Mr Abbott intends to remain in parliament and possibly “come back” to the leadership.

The Chinese lunch in Parliament House’s ministerial wing was shared by Mr Abbott, Mr Dutton and about a dozen conservative MPs. For dessert they enjoyed chocolate cake, baked by Mr Abbott’s “landlady” and former aide Peta Credlin.

Mr Dutton denied any conspiracy and claimed the Fairfax Media journalist who initially reported the meeting has admitted being “a bit embarrassed by the way in which some have tried to portray the catch-up”.

“I’ve been going to Tuesday lunch for about 14 years and for as long as I’ve been in parliament I’ve gone to a Tuesday lunch with colleagues and with friends,” he said in Canberra.

Mr Dutton also noted the “monkey pod room” where they met — named for its table fashioned from monkey pod, a tropical timber — was adjacent to the office of Christopher Pyne, a leader of the moderate faction.

“I think if there were some underground movement by the Right that we wouldn’t be holding a lunch in a meeting room so close to Christopher Pyne’s office,” Mr Dutton said.

“I don’t think any of this adds up to anything more than colleagues catching up for lunch.”

The meeting was attended by Mr Abbott, Mr Dutton and backbenchers including Andrew Nikolic, Natasha Griggs, Michael Sukkar, Zed Seselja and Karen McNamara.

Ms Griggs, who holds the marginal Darwin-based seat of Solomon, lashed the Fairfax report as “a bloody beat-up” and Mr Turnbull enjoyed her “full support”.