The Chaser team has managed to cause a bit of a hullabaloo in federal parliament - and they weren't even there.

The funnymen are renowned for their satirical, take-no-prisoners approach to news on their show, The Chaser's War on Everything, which returned to the ABC last week.

They're no strangers to politicians, often ambushing MPs, from the prime minister down, in the name of comedy.

And in a Senate estimates committee on Tuesday, Liberal backbencher Russell Trood quizzed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) about the recent antics of the Chaser team in Rome.

DFAT's Greg Moriarty, in charge of consular affairs, wasn't well-versed on the Chaser shenanigans but promised to seek more details.

Senator Trood's concerns centred around a skit, which involved the Chaser's Craig Reucassel launching a blimp over St Peter's Square in the Vatican.

Operated by remote-control, the blimp, with a rope attached, read: "Young Boys Inside: Pull Down If You Want One."

Onlookers gawked at the aerial show until officials approached Reucassel, demanding the blimp be brought down, which he did.

After being briefed on the Chaser escapade, Mr Moriarty returned to tell the committee that four Australian men had been arrested over the incident.

"Consular officials from the Australian embassy in Rome confirm that four Australian men were arrested for flying a hot air balloon over the Vatican, in a no-fly zone," he said.

"Italian police have recommended that all four be charged. All four have been released without restrictions and the incident is now before the Italian judicial system."

Senator Trood was reassured the four had not been a drain on public funds - they hadn't sought any consular assistance.

Nor was former Nationals leader Tim Fischer, now Australia's ambassador to the Holy See, called in to get them out of a jam.

One committee wit wondered whether the Chaser were "employees" of the publicly-funded ABC.

But it earned short shrift from Labor's John Faulkner, who was keen to leave any questions about the ABC's use of funds to colleagues in another committee.