Australia news live: Tony Abbott praises Liberal party’s new top strategist as party tries to rebuild campaign machine
The Liberals have appointed Lincoln Folo as their new top strategist as they try to rebuild after two federal election defeats.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Tony Abbott, the party’s new federal president, has backed Lincoln Folo’s appointment as the Liberals’ top strategist. The move is framed as an effort to strengthen campaigning and party administration after a run of losses.
The Liberal party has hired a new coach for its election playbook after losing twice. It is like a sports team changing its strategist to try to win the next game.
Analysis
What happened
The Liberal party has appointed Lincoln Folo, previously the Nationals’ party director, as its new top strategist. He replaces Andrew Hirst, who stepped down after three elections in the role.
The move comes as the party tries to rebuild its campaign operation after two federal election defeats. Tony Abbott, now the Liberal party president and a former prime minister, used the announcement to praise Folo’s background in campaigning, organisational leadership and party administration.
Abbott said Folo has a strong reputation as a capable and effective operator and is committed to the party’s values and principles. He also thanked Hirst for what he called “sterling service” to the party, including helping deliver Scott Morrison’s surprise win in 2019.
Why it stands out
This is an internal but meaningful organisational change rather than a policy announcement. The article frames it as part of a broader effort to improve the Liberals’ campaign machine after poor election results.
Because it is a live blog page, the rest of the post includes unrelated updates on NSW Opera House changes, personal loans, Queensland public service complaints, and sport. The central political development in the excerpt is the Liberals’ attempt to refresh their strategy team under Abbott’s new presidency.
Key points
- Lincoln Folo has been appointed the Liberals’ new top strategist.
- He replaces Andrew Hirst, who stepped down after three elections in the role.
- The party says the change is part of rebuilding its campaign machine after two federal election defeats.
- Tony Abbott praised Folo’s campaign and administrative experience.
- Abbott thanked Hirst for his role, including the 2019 election win under Scott Morrison.
If Folo’s experience helps the party run a tighter campaign, the Liberals could improve their organisation and present a clearer message to voters. A smoother campaign machine may also help them avoid the mistakes that followed the last two defeats.
The appointment may not be enough if the party’s bigger problems are political rather than organisational. If the new strategy does not translate into better public support, the change could end up looking like a staffing fix instead of a real reset.
