Abbott gets extra staff

Malcolm Turnbull has approved two extra staff for former prime minister Tony Abbott.

Mr Abbott, who remains a backbencher and has vowed to recontest his Sydney seat of Warringah, was give the standard MP entitlement of an electorate office and four staff after being ousted in September.

But Mr Turnbull also approved a senior adviser being employed for no longer than 12 months and an assistant adviser to support Mr Abbott in his role as a former prime minister.

The details of the September 29 approval were revealed in an answer to a Senate estimates question on notice released this week.

Mr Abbott moved into a ground floor backbencher's suite in Parliament House in late September after being ousted from the top job by Mr Turnbull.

His former cabinet colleague Eric Abetz was also given an extra assistant adviser.