Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott may have effectively bowed out of parliamentary politics on Saturday night after his stunning election loss to independent Zali Steggall in the Sydney north shore seat of Warringah.

Mr Abbott’s loss marks the likely end to a tumultuous political career that has enjoyed the ultimate highs of a smashing election victory in 2013 and the prime ministership, to the lows of being voted out of the top job by his own party room in 2015 and Saturday night’s defeat in what had traditionally been a blue-ribbon Liberal seat.