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

Tony Abbott did not respond to the Guardian’s questions regarding whether his ties to other overseas groups would continue after his formal election as Liberal party president. Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

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.