Olympian Steggall in bid to oust Abbott - 9news.com.au

Barrister and former world champion skier Zali Steggall will contest Tony Abbott's Sydney seat of Warringah as an independent in the federal election.

The former slalom world champion and 1998 Winter Olympics bronze medal winner launched her campaign on Sunday with dozens of supporters including conservationist Tim Flannery and former TV host James Mathison.

Ms Steggall says the people of Warringah need a voice from "the sensible centre" - something she thinks they don't get from the former prime minister.

(AAP)

"He is a formidable opponent and I have never gone into a race thinking it would be an easy challenge," she told reporters on Sunday.

"I am prepared, I am supported and I know the views of the community."

Ms Steggall described Warringah as socially progressive and caring and pointed to the electorate's overwhelming support for same-sex marriage as an example of the local MP not representing his voters' views.

She said she supported economic stability and tax cuts from small and medium businesses and was opposed to changing negative gearing, franking credits and capital gains tax.

Despite saying the Australia Day long weekend was not one for "heavy politics", Mr Abbott took to Twitter to express his commitment to the Sydney electorate.

"I'm going to keep pushing for the northern beaches tunnel to beat the traffic jams and for a safe and prosperous Australia as part of a good government," he tweeted on Sunday.

Mr Mathison, a former host of Australian Idol, won 11 per cent of the Warringah vote in an anti-Abbott campaign at the 2016 election.

He said the voter disillusionment with the long-time MP had only grown in the years since.

"I am pretty certain we'll see what happened in Wentworth happen here," he told AAP.

Like Kerryn Phelps in Wentworth, Ms Steggall will make climate change policy a key issue.

"There needs to be affirmative action on climate change and (Mr Abbott) has made it clear he has no intention of going down that path," Ms Steggall said.

But government minister Dan Tehan insists the government is taking strong action on climate change.

"We take climate change incredibly seriously, we take our international commitments incredibly seriously and we will be ensuring that we meet our Paris targets," he told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.

Mr Tehan says the former prime minister has "a lot more to offer", and people underestimate Mr Abbott's ability to campaign.

"He's got strong links to the community, they have continued to endorse him as the candidate," the minister said.

"He is someone who is very compassionate, very committed to his electorate, and he is someone who has a lot more to offer."

Liberal-turned-independent MP Julia Banks has offered her support to Ms Steggall, tweeting: "Australia and Warringah needs strong independent, genuine people like you".

Alice Thompson, a former adviser to Malcolm Turnbull, and indigenous activist Susan Moylan-Coombs have announced they are running as independents in Warringah.

Mr Abbott faced nine opponents at the 2016 election, winning 51.6 per cent of first preferences and a margin of 11 per cent over Labor.

The seat has voted conservative since 1922.

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