Tony Abbott is joining the board of the Australian War Memorial, the former prime minister’s first official appointment since losing his seat in the 18 May federal election.

He will replace the author, historian and newspaper editor Les Carlyon, who died in March.

The veterans affairs minister, Darren Chester, said Abbott would bring dedication, passion and knowledge with him as the Canberra memorial undergoes a $500m upgrade.

He said Abbott had extensive experience and would ensure the stories from recent military conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Solomon Islands and East Timor would be proudly told.

“As prime minister, Mr Abbott led the case to build the Sir John Monash Centre in Villers-Bretonneux to tell the stories and honour the thousands of fallen Australians who served in the first world war,” Chester said.

“I congratulate Mr Abbott on his appointment and am confident he will ensure we continue to record the stories of those who have served, in their words, and be able to share those stories to the more than one million visitors to the memorial each year.”

Meanwhile, a search is under way to find a replacement for Brendan Nelson, who will step down as director of the memorial when his term ends at the end of this year.