Former (Australian) prime minister Malcolm Fraser has quit the Liberal Party, reportedly because he believes it is becoming too conservative.
The Financial Review newspaper says Mr Fraser quit in December, shortly after Tony Abbott replaced Malcolm Turnbull as Liberal leader.
Mr Fraser has previously criticised the party for becoming one of "fear and reaction" and says it is now unrecognisable as the party he joined more than 50 years ago.
The newspaper says his final decision to quit was made after he became increasingly concerned with the conservative direction of the party.
The former prime minister has also been a vocal critic of the Coalition's border protection policies.
This morning Mr Abbott paid tribute to Mr Fraser.
"He obviously has a right to make his judgements about where he stands," the Opposition Leader told Macquarie Radio.
Liberal backbencher Petro Georgiou was a senior adviser under Mr Fraser when he was prime minister.
He has told ABC's AM program that Mr Fraser left because the party is different from the party he joined.
"I think Malcolm's had a classical Menzies-ian view of the party and has been troubled by where he's seen the party going over recent years," he said.
"I think [his resignation] should be viewed with a great deal of sadness. It should be viewed as the action of a man who takes his convictions very seriously."
When asked if anyone had tried to convince Mr Fraser to stay Mr Georgiou replied: "That's something you'd have to ask Malcolm."
Mr Georgiou said he was deeply saddened by Mr Fraser's resignation but said others would have to form their own view as to whether it is a blow to the Liberal Party and Tony Abbott.
The ABC has tried to contact Mr Fraser for comment.
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