Tony Abbott is set to resign from his position on the advisory board of the rightwing advocacy group Advance as he prepares to assume the role of federal president of the Liberal Party. The former prime minister's transition has sparked concerns among Liberal insiders that he might appoint Advance affiliates to influential party roles, potentially steering the party further to the right.
Abbott's Role with Advance
Abbott has been a member of Advance's advisory board since at least January 2023, when the association was first reported by the ABC. He also holds positions with other conservative organizations, including the Institute of Public Affairs, the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, and board roles with Fox Corporation and the UK-based climate sceptic group Global Warming Policy Foundation. However, his tenure with Advance is expected to conclude shortly as he returns to the Liberal Party machine as its top back-office figure.
An Advance spokesperson confirmed to Guardian Australia: “Mr Abbott has informed us that he will be stepping down from the Advance advisory board upon election as federal president of the Liberal party.”
Concerns Over Party Direction
Liberals have voiced apprehension that Abbott may consider Advance's director, Matthew Sheahan, or Steve Doyle, who runs Whitestone Strategic, a consultancy supporting Advance's operations, for the vacant federal director position. Critics warn this could further erode the party's remaining identity. One insider remarked, “I won’t even call them frenemies; they were actively denigrating the Liberal party.” Another MP described Advance’s attacks on moderate Liberals as “hysterical and beyond the pale,” suggesting such moves would benefit One Nation and backfire on the party.
Despite these fears, some insiders believe Abbott could surprise many by being a unifying leader, reluctant to overshadow opposition leader Angus Taylor. However, others worry that bringing Advance campaigners into the Liberal fold would render the party unelectable in metropolitan areas at the next federal election.
Guaranteed Election as President
Abbott is the sole nominee for the federal presidency after former foreign minister Alexander Downer opted to run for a vice-president position, ensuring Abbott's election. Guardian Australia reached out to Abbott to inquire whether his ties to overseas groups, such as the Danube Institute and the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship, would persist after his formal election on Friday, but he did not respond.
Advance's Political Influence
Advance, often described as a conservative counterpart to the left-wing advocacy group GetUp, has supported rightwing causes since its inception in 2019. While it claims not to endorse any political party, the Liberal Party's investment vehicle, the Cormack Foundation, donated $500,000 to Advance ahead of the 2025 federal election. Advance targeted the Greens in that election, but some Liberal-aligned commentators criticized its strategy as inadvertently aiding Labor.
In its latest financial report, Advance stated it determined “the Coalition was ill-equipped to effectively contest the election, lacking the modern sophisticated campaign infrastructure required to seriously challenge Labor.”
Potential Fallout
A third MP expressed unease: “Advance does Advance stuff very well, but that stuff, it goes into race. It’s not for a governing political party … and it shouldn’t be anywhere near us. I’m worried about it, and others are too. There’s a lot of nervousness because if we don’t get a good campaign director that can run a nationally balanced campaign, we could be in more strife.” Guardian Australia contacted both Sheahan and Doyle regarding any approaches about the federal director role, but they did not comment.
