Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull faces further distractions, with his predecessor Tony Abbott to visit WA to give a speech to Liberal Party members on “enlightenment values” and the importance of Western democracy.

The visit has raised eyebrows among Federal Liberal MPs, who warn that the former PM risks inflaming growing internal divisions in the WA Liberal Party in the wake of the disastrous State election campaign.

The speech, due to be held on Wednesday just six days before the Federal Budget, was organised by Liberal Party policy chairman Sherry Sufi, who is himself no stranger to controversy.

One senior Liberal told The Weekend West that Mr Sufi’s decision to hold the event would mean the media’s attention would be on Mr Abbott and not the Federal Government’s Budget message.

“There are sensitivities around Abbott versus Turnbull, especially in the week before the Budget,” the Liberal said. “We want people to be concentrating on what the Federal Government is going to do to address the issues.

“The last thing we want is Tony Abbott and Sherry Sufi discussing western civilisation.

“We’ve got to get back to discussing real world issues.

“Abbott has one thing in mind, the spotlight on him and not what the Federal Government is doing to fix issues.”

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Mr Abbott is also set to be the guest of honour at several party fundraising events, which coincide with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s trip to the US.

In an email to members, Mr Sufi advertised the Abbott speech as a reflection on the rule of law and liberal democratic values.

“The freedoms we take for granted owe a debt to the profound legacy of intellectual thought and enlightenment values inherited from the struggles of earlier generations in Western Europe and America,” Mr Sufi wrote.

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“Yet recent decades have seen a rise in antagonism towards these values, from within and outside the free world.

“In this age of uncertainty, if ever there has been a time to reflect and renew confidence in our founding principles — it is now.”

In a statement to The West, Mr Sufi said he looked forward to hosting Mr Abbott.

“As the name ‘The Legacy of Western Civilisation’ suggests, the event is of an academic nature and Mr Abbott is abundantly qualified to speak on it,” he said.

Mr Sufi was forced to resign as the Liberal candidate for Fremantle during the 2016 federal election after it emerged he had mocked the then Liberal speaker of State parliament using graphic sexual language.