Abbott says Liberals ‘under new management’ and vows to help Taylor lead ‘people’s revolt’ against Labor

Tony Abbott has declared the Liberals are “under new management” after his election as party president, vowing to help Angus Taylor lead a “people’s revolt” against the Labor government. The former prime minister and conservative warrior was elected to the position at the Liberal federal council meeting in Melbourne on Friday, marking a return to active political life seven years after losing his seat in federal parliament. “I owe the Liberal party big time, and that’s why I regard it as my duty to serve the party in this time of existential crisis,” Abbott said after securing the presidency unopposed. The federal presidency is an unpaid role that oversees the party’s administrative wing and campaigning infrastructure, working at arm’s length from the parliamentary team and typically away from the media spotlight. But Abbott’s large public profile and hardline views means it will attract more attention, creating potential distractions for Taylor and prompting fears among moderates about a further lurch to the right. In his speech to the federal council, the former Warringah MP claimed Australia was “drifting backwards” and plagued by a “kind of spiritual malaise”. “We don’t believe in ourselves anymore,” he said. …