Tony Abbott to step down from Advance role when elected Liberal party federal president

Liberal insiders concerned former PM could pull party even further to the right by appointing Advance allies to prominent positions

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Tony Abbott will step down from his role advising the rightwing advocacy group, Advance, as the conservative ideologue prepares for his high-profile role as the Liberal party’s new federal president.

Liberal insiders have also shared concerns Abbott is considering Advance’s director, Matthew Sheahan, or Steve Doyle – who runs Whitestone Strategic, the consultancy group that supports its operations – to fill the vacant federal director position, warning it could dismantle what is left of the party’s identity.