Senator Abetz was in the middle of extraordinary scenes in Federal Parliament late yesterday when debate on the emissions trading scheme was interrupted by mass resignations from inside the Liberal Party.

Senator Abetz, who is deputy leader of the Opposition in the Senate, offered his resignation along with a number of others but agreed to put aside the matter of the resignations until after the emissions trading scheme debate was concluded.

On the way to a party crisis meeting at 6.30pm, Senator Abetz said that he had followed his conscience in making his shock decision.

"I'm resigning on the basis of the fact that in all my public life, I have always thought that service to the people came before any front bench or party position," he said.

He denied that the mass resignations were inevitable and planned to bring down Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull.

Senator Abetz said that it had instead been about not supporting legislation that rushed through Australia's position on climate change and emissions trading.

"I couldn't look people in the eye when I come home to Tasmania at the weekend and tell them that all their bills were going up by about $1000 a week and that was in their best interests," he said.

"And when they asked me what environmental dividends there would be, I would have to say `none'."

Senator Abetz said that he had hoped never to be confronted with a situation like yesterday during his political career.

"But if I can't be supportive of a leader's position then I shouldn't be there," he said.

"I'm personally devastated but I'm very much at peace that I've done the right thing."

He said that he was aware that he was about to give up his position on the front bench and all the benefits that entailed.

"But I'm very aware that the party had differing views," he said.

"I am very supportive of compromise and compromise was needed but, in my view, any compromise that was suggested was rejected out of hand (by Mr Turnbull).

"It's therefore impossible for me to provide loyalty to the leader."

Senator Abetz said that he had offered his resignation to Mr Turnbull outside the Senate chamber at Parliament House.