Updated
Self-styled "preference whisperer" Glenn Druery has
lifted the lid on a personal vendetta against One Nation that he claims
goes back almost two decades.
Mr Druery, who famously corralled
votes to get Motoring Enthusiast Party Senator Ricky Muir elected, told
Lateline he has been directing micro-party preferences away from One
Nation since 1999."I like to think of what I do in working against One Nation as a community service... My hand on their electoral throat squeezing the preferential life out of them," he said.
He claims he stopped One Nation from gaining six seats and the balance of power in the recent WA election.
"They only won three seats. Now denying them preferences stopped them winning those other three seats."
Mr Druery even claims responsibility for Pauline Hanson's unsuccessful tilt at a New South Wales Senate seat in 2013.
"In 2013, some of Pauline Hanson's apparatchiks approached me and yes, I did give them advice for her to run in New South Wales. I knew she wouldn't do well there. That was the whole point," he said.
Druery says he's acting against racism
Mr Druery has advised dozens of micro-parties through a string of state and federal elections.
At the WA election he worked on behalf of the Fluoride Free party, which believes fluoride in water is being used to "medicate the population".
But Mr Druery draws the line at helping One Nation because of its immigration policies.
"You ask me why I do that. Simply one word: racism," he said.Eleven days after the party's poor showing in the WA election, One Nation Senator Brian Burston launched a nine minute tirade at Mr Druery under parliamentary privilege in the Senate.
He accused Mr Druery of bullying candidates and a conflict of interest, for advising minor parties while drawing a parliamentary salary as an adviser for Senator Derryn Hinch.
Lateline asked Senator Burston's office for more details, but they were not provided.
"All I would say to Senator Burston is please come out of coward's castle and face me in the real world," Mr Druery said.
"Don't use privilege to make up lies and mistruths and distortions."
Turnbull under pressure on One Nation preferences
The WA Liberals' decision to preference One Nation has put pressure on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to rule out similar agreements in future elections.As prime minister, John Howard expressed a view that One Nation should be placed last on all Liberal Party how to vote cards in Australia.
But with Senator Hanson's crucial Senate votes in the 45th Parliament, Mr Turnbull has resisted expressing a similar sentiment.
Without a preference deal, Mr Druery believes One Nation will be wiped from Australian politics, even in the next state election in Senator Hanson's home state of Queensland.
"They will not win a single seat in Queensland. They will not win anything, if the LNP does not preference them," he said.
Mr Druery likened One Nation's success to the "dot-com bubble we saw in the early 90s".
"I would suggest that One Nation is somewhere at the top right now and it's all downhill from here Pauline, I'm sorry to say," he said.
Lateline has sought comment from Pauline Hanson.
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