Tony Abbott declares ‘Patriot’ Liberals are under new management after former PM elected party’s president

Tony Abbott says the Liberals are “under new management” with him in charge, while his Howard-era cabinet colleague Alexander Downer wants them to be “media tarts” to win the next election.

Their rousing speeches to Liberal Party faithful were aimed at reinvigorating a battered movement that’s facing an existential threat from One Nation.

The former prime minister was elected unopposed as the Liberal Party’s federal president, with Mr Downer joining as one of the party’s vice-presidents.

“I promise you, we are under new management. We are hungry to win for our country’s sake,” Mr Abbott said.

He urged it to massively increase its membership, from 50,000 to at least 250,000.

“As Liberals we cherish freedom, we respect tradition, but above all else, we love our country. That’s what we are, the freedom party, the tradition party, but above all else, we are the patriot party, which is why, at our best, we should be absolutely unbeatable,” Mr Abbott said.

“Our job, individually and collectively, is to lead a people’s revolt to be rid of the worst government in living memory.”

Mr Taylor will tell the Liberal federal council on Saturday that the party will never have a better opportunity than now to recruit people to its cause, on the back of Labor’s unpopular budget.

“One day between now and May 2028, each of you who feels ignored, betrayed, and attacked by this Government’s assault on our way of life will have a chance to reflect: Did I do everything to throw this PM to the curb? Did I join the only party that can kick Albo out?” he will say, according to a draft speech.

Voters have been fleeing the Coalition in favour of One Nation in recent polls.

Mr Downer said the Liberals had been “losing that battle of ideas to the progressive left” and had to better define themselves.

“We have to use that old-fashioned expression: become media tarts – at least the parliamentary party has to become media tarts and sell their wares in order to win that battle of ideas,” he said.