Independent Zali Stegall has prised the Sydney seat of Warringah from the former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

It has been a safe Liberal seat since 1972 and for 25 years Warringah, on Sydney’s northern beaches, has been held by the Liberal MP.

GetUp led a brutal campaign against Mr Abbott as they aimed to unseat conservative politicians.

Mr Abbott congratulated Ms Steggall on her win but says he is proud of what he’s done.

“I’d rather be a loser than a quitter.”

And he remained mostly jubilant, seemingly ecstatic that the Coalition was on track to form a minority government.

Liberal youngster James Paterson tells Neil Mitchell Mr Abbott may have been out of touch with his community.

“I think there’s something happening in this inner-city traditionally safe Liberal seats … where a lot of the voters are post-material.

“They are so wealthy that material concerns are not a concern for them anymore, they’re more interested in non-material things like the environment, like same-sex marriage and a lot of those things.

“I think clearly, his electorate has moved in a way he hasn’t.”

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