Tony Abbott plans for Liberal reform pushed back

FORMER Prime Minister Tony Abbott is disappointed his plans for Liberal Party reform will be pushed back until next year, delayed by the Bennelong by-election.

FORMER Prime Minister Tony Abbott is disappointed his plans for Liberal Party reform will be pushed back until next year, delayed by the Bennelong by-election.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the Liberal Party Annual General Meeting, which was scheduled to be held in early December, has been cancelled and will not be held until February 2018 at the earliest.

The Liberal State Council was shaping up as a contest between Mr Abbott and the moderate faction, with the former Prime Minister endeavouring to overthrow their power by giving every Liberal Party member a vote in preselections.

The delay will mean some candidates for the 2019 state election will be preselected under the current system, meaning powerbrokers will continue to have influence over the next batch of state Liberal politicians.

Tony Abbott is disappointed at the delay of the Liberal Party AGM. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

LiberaL sources said the delay was necessary because you couldn’t resources and staff directed away from Bennelong the week before the by-election where John Alexander is facing off against former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally.

Mr Abbott was disappointed to learn the AGM would likely be delayed.

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“I’ve put a very strong case to the state president that the best possible lead-up for the Bennelong by-election would be a State Council where we have triumphantly endorsed the Rosehill Resolutions and reinvigorated our party by giving every member a say in all the important decisions our party makes,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“It would be the best possible way to demonstrate to the people of Bennelong that our party means to win.”

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is understood to endorse the changes giving Liberal members a say.

But moderate powerbrokers have vowed to water down Mr Abbott’s proposal.

It is standard practice during times of election to delay party conferences or meetings to avoid chewing up resources and staff who are required for campaigning.