Senior Liberals have differed over the correct place in history of former prime minister Malcolm Fraser in a sign of the continuing struggle for the soul of a party which, while now in government, is facing its own demons.

Trailing in the polls and weighed down by a combination of broken promises, a slew of abandoned policies aimed at budget repair, and an unpopular leader, Mr Fraser's death has prompted some Liberals to reflect on the direction of their party, potentially adding to Prime Minister Tony Abbott's woes.

Some have argued there are no lessons because Mr Fraser's legacy lacked coherence, while others claimed the Liberal Party should be a broad church which could still accommodate the human rights causes Mr Fraser went on to champion.

Officially, most Liberals confined their comments on Mr Fraser to the positive aspects.

Within hours of the former prime minister's unexpected death at 84, senior figures including Mr Fraser's former treasurer and then prime minister, John Howard, spoke glowingly of an "extraordinary Australian" who "brought great integrity" to the nation's political class.

He said Mr Fraser was a great federalist who returned control of the seas and submerged lands to the states.

"In that sense he was very true to the traditions of the Liberal Party," he said.

Mr Howard's treasurer, Peter Costello, said Mr Fraser had made an enormous contribution and would be "sorely missed".

"A very active mind, a very intelligent mind – he was a tough man, and … if Malcolm gave you advice, you listened," he said.

Mr Costello said Mr Fraser would always be remembered and respected as the man who brought an end to the "excesses of the Whitlam government".

But he said he could also be a passionate advocate of causes. "A lot of people thought after 1975, that he was a really tough man, but perhaps there was a softer side to him as well."

Mr Abbott, himself the subject of harsh criticism by Mr Fraser, described him as someone who deserved the continuing respect of all Australian Liberals.

"It's a particularly sad day for all who cheered Malcolm Fraser on in those stirring days when he led the fight against what many of us thought was a bad government – the days of 1975," he said.

He said he had spoken to Mr Fraser on "a number" of occasions since becoming Liberal leader.

"I had quite a number of long talks with him since then, most recently late last year. I didn't always agree with all of his positions. In fact, I often disagreed with his positions. But I always appreciated his insights and the wisdom born of long experience."

Treasurer Joe Hockey remarked that history would be kinder to Mr Fraser than his critics had been.

"I think many Australians will be mourning his passing because he provided stability and reassurance at a time when Australia had gone through incredible upheaval," he said.

The current member for Mr Fraser's old seat of Wannon, Dan Tehan, acknowledged Liberals' collective disappointment at Mr Fraser's separation from the party, but expressed his personal admiration for the man he came to know.

But others have questioned his contribution, noting his resignation from the party and his post-parliamentary role as an outspoken anti-conservative and an acerbic critic of Mr Abbott.

Former federal Liberal MP Ross Cameron criticised what he called "a complete lack of coherence" in Mr Fraser's political achievements, branding his 1975-1983 government "a wasted eight years for Australia".

"Everyone is looking for a way to find the best thing they can say," he said.

"What does Fraser really stand for? What do we extract from his life? I find a complete lack of coherence."

Mr Cameron, now a Sky News commentator, said the best that could be said of the Fraser government was that it was above average for Australian governments, adding "there's no question that the last days of the Whitlam era would have made the drover's dog look good".

Conservative Liberals believe Mr Fraser left them long before they left him, with some declining to say anything at all when invited by Fairfax Media to mark his passing.

A common response was "never speak ill of the dead" as a way of indicating no further comment.

Follow us on Twitter