Former prime minister Tony Abbott has congratulated his successor Malcolm Turnbull for shifting his focus after the election to "bread and butter" conservative issues and away from less resonant rhetoric about innovation.

Mr Abbott also said that polls – including those that precipitated him losing the leadership of the Liberal Party – should not be listened to because voters' intentions were not being accurately reflected, as was demonstrated ahead of Donald Trump's shock victory this week.

In an apparent swipe at Mr Turnbull's election campaign slogan, Mr Abbott said "there has been a lot less talk about innovation and agility and the new economy" from the government since the Coalition's underwhelming result.

"A lot more talk about national security and border security," he told ABC radio. "A lot more talk about cost of living and the need to reject Labor's 50 per cent renewable energy target ."