39-505: Glenn William Druery is an Australian political strategist, electoral campaigner and ultra-distance cyclist. He has played a leading role in the electoral success of various micro and minor parties in Australia since the mid-1990s. Currently, Druery is the chief of staff for independent senator Fatima Payman . He acquired a reputation through his Minor Party Alliance as the "preference whisperer" of Australian politics. After overcoming
78-509: A hijab . In May and June 2024, Payman's statements in support of Palestine during the Israel–Hamas war and criticism of the Albanese government 's response to the war brought her out of step with the rest of the government. On 25 June 2024, Payman crossed the floor to support an Australian Greens resolution to recognise a Palestinian state, leading to her being indefinitely suspended from
117-460: A $ 50,000 fee for him for each member elected. In the complaint, Patten questioned whether Druery's cash-for-votes activities, as well as his activities as a taxpayer-funded adviser to Derryn Hinch , may violate state election laws. Victoria Police confirmed that the VEC had referred the matter to the crime command for assessment. Druery was never contacted by Victoria Police in regards to this matter and
156-911: A 9.24% swing against the Liberal party in Western Australian Senate voting. Her election was the first time the ALP won three Senate seats in WA since the Senate had been expanded in 1984. Elected at age 27, she is the third youngest Senator in Australian history and is currently the youngest serving Senator. She has said her priorities include "getting more people from diverse backgrounds involved in politics, improving early childhood education, and climate change ". She has also said she wants to "normalise hijab wearing". On 4 December 2022, Payman
195-613: A candidate in Albanese's electorate of Grayndler at the next federal election. On 9 October, Payman announced the creation of a new political party, Australia's Voice , and became its leader. In launching the party, Payman stated that Australia's Voice would be "a new political party for the disenfranchised, the unheard, and those yearning for real change", and that the ALP had "lost its way". In November 2024, Payman clashed with Senator Pauline Hanson , accusing her of racism after she wanted Senator Payman to prove her eligibility to take
234-463: A move would support the peace efforts, not undermine them, as some have argued". On 25 June 2024, Payman crossed the floor to vote in favour of a resolution supporting Australian recognition of Palestinian statehood, voting with the crossbench against the government and opposition. Payman stated "My decision to cross the floor was the most difficult decision I have had to make". She then stepped down from two parliamentary foreign affairs committees and
273-760: A potential preference deal, declaring that the AVP felt the co-ordination of the group voting ticket system used by Druery was immoral and needed to be exposed. In early 2021, The Age newspaper reported that Druery had "charged taxpayers more than $ 150,000 in travel and other expenses while working as Chief of Staff to then-senator Derryn Hinch" while "also running a lucrative cash-for-votes business in state elections". Druery's travel expenditure far-exceeded that reported by cross bench Senators and Victorian backbenchers. Details of Druery's travel at taxpayer expense show that it coincided with meetings he organised to broker preferred deals as part of his "preference whispering" business. It
312-779: A seat in the Senate under Section 44c of the Constitution . Payman has worked as a program coordinator at the Edmund Rice Centre WA. She was listed as a board member of the Australian Islamic College as of 2022. In 2018, Payman's father died of leukaemia . Payman married Labor staffer Jacob Stokes in February 2024. He is a convert to Islam. Stokes resigned from his job, but not the party, following Payman's defection. Fiona Patten Too Many Requests If you report this error to
351-552: A serious illness in his 30s, Druery competed in the Race Across America (RAAM) four times, in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2012. In 2009 his four-man team, Team RANS, won the 5,000 km event in 6 days 3 hours and 40 minutes. During his 2012 RAAM Druery won his race category, generated media attention for victims of the HIV virus, especially in the third world and raised money for HIV research. In 2003 and 2007 he participated in
390-555: A super-regional branch of WA Labor. The group's treasurer and vice-president had quit the Labor Party on 4 July "in protest" at the treatment of Fatima Payman. The resigning vice-president, Adam Demir, called the party a "spineless jellyfish". In August 2024, Payman appointed political strategist Glenn Druery as her chief of staff. In September 2024, Payman delivered a two-minute critique of government failure to accommodate young voters, who she believed feel "disenfranchised" by
429-740: Is an Australian politician who has served as a senator for Western Australia since 2022, first for the Labor Party and then as an independent , before launching her own political party − Australia's Voice − in October 2024. Payman was born in Kabul , Afghanistan, migrating to Perth with her family in 2003. She attended the Australian Islamic College and studied pharmacy at the University of Western Australia . Payman
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#1732781088802468-529: Is illegal for Parliamentary staffers to privately benefit from publicly-funded travel. Druery resisted the release of the information regarding his travel and refused to provide comments about the issue to the media. Druery was never interviewed by police or parliamentary staff, he later said the matter was a beat-up by his political opponents. In August 2024, Druery became the chief of staff for Labor-turned-Independent senator Fatima Payman . Fatima Payman Fatima Payman ( Dari : فاطمه پیمان ; born 1995)
507-774: The Leichhardt branch of the Labor Party, which is within Albanese's electorate of Grayndler , passed a motion supporting Payman. Five other Labor branches had also passed similar motions. Former Labor politician Harry Quick , who was expelled from the party after crossing the floor in 2007, stated his admiration for Payman and urged her to not "bend or waver". Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong criticised Payman's decision, stating that party disagreements should be handled "internally", and that she herself had previously voted against same-sex marriage in keeping with party policy despite her own personal support of it. On 1 July 2024, Albanese said that Payman's actions had disrupted
546-470: The United Workers Union (UWU) in 2018 as an organiser and was president of Young Labor WA, having been a member of the Labor Party since 2014. She recalled her observation of her father's experiences of workplace abuse and exploitation as a main motivation for joining the two organisations. She worked as electorate officer for Pierre Yang from 30 May 2019 to 23 December 2020. Payman
585-720: The 1,200 km Paris–Brest–Paris (PBP) cycling event. In 1996, Druery was instrumental in the formation of the Outdoor Recreation Party , and initiated a strategy to try to ensure the election of a party member to the New South Wales Legislative Council . This involved the manipulation of the party ticket system used to elect the Council from the single, statewide, multi-member electorate by single transferable vote . By encouraging, or even organising, many minor groups to contest
624-523: The Constitution of Australia determined that a political candidate must take "all reasonable steps" to renounce other citizenships. Payman says she approached the Afghanistan embassy in Australia in October 2021 to renounce her Afghan citizenship, and that the embassy could not proceed with the formal process because it had no contact with the new Taliban government following the 2021 Taliban offensive . The Labor Party received legal advice that Payman
663-550: The Gaza conflict, said in an interview that she did not agree with Payman's approach. Referring to Payman's abstention on Labor's proposed amendment to a Greens motion calling for recognition of a Palestinian state , Aly said "I choose to do things in a way I think will make a material difference on the ground to people in Palestine. Fatima chooses to do it her way". Payman said her choice to abstain on Labor's amendment and to vote for
702-585: The Israel–Hamas war , and called for sanctions and divestment against Israel. She concluded her speech by remarking " from the river to the sea , Palestine will be free". Payman's speech was noted by The Guardian as a "significant rupture with the Labor party position". On 17 June 2024 Payman wrote an article in Al Jazeera English supportive of recognition of Palestine by Australia and argued "Such
741-453: The Labor Party to sit as an independent in the Senate. Independent senator Lidia Thorpe praised Payman as being on the "right side of history". Labor party president Wayne Swan stated that Payman's defection would "empower Labor’s opponents on the far right". Upon returning to WA on 6 July, Payman was met by a cheering crowd of supporters at Perth Airport . On 18 July, The Guardian reported two resignations among Multicultural Labor,
780-407: The Labor caucus. On 4 July 2024, Payman quit the Labor Party to sit as an independent, and on 9 October 2024, Payman launched her own political party, Australia's Voice . Fatima Payman was born in Kabul , Afghanistan in 1995, she is of paternal Tajik heritage and her mother is Uzbek . Her maternal grandparents hailed from Uzbekistan . She is the eldest of four children. Payman's grandfather
819-698: The Senate in the 2010 federal election . Druery formed the Minor Party Alliance which helped more than 30 minor parties and independents with advice and guidance regarding the complex political and electoral processes required for the preference harvesting scheme to work. The preference harvesting deals organised by the Alliance for the 2013 Australian Senate election resulted in the election of candidates who received only 0.2 percent ( Australian Sports Party ), 0.5 percent ( Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party ) and 3.8 percent ( Family First Party ) of
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#1732781088802858-662: The caucus and members". On 1 July, Payman stated in a Facebook post that she had been "exiled" from the party, that she would abstain from voting in the senate for the rest of the week, and that "some members are attempting to intimidate [her] into resigning from the Senate" . Payman received support for crossing the floor from the Labor Friends of Palestine, who stated Payman's actions were "entirely consistent with Labor principles and policy". The Australian National Imams Council and Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt both praised Payman's act as courageous. On 3 July 2024,
897-407: The election, and ensuring an organised and disciplined allocation of preferences among them, candidates who only received a very small percentage of people's first-preference votes could be elected. This practice has become known as 'preference harvesting'. Druery's scheme was first employed at the 1999 New South Wales Legislative Council election . 264 candidates from 81 different parties contested
936-493: The election, which resulted in what became known as the "tablecloth ballot paper". The NSW Legislative Council elects 21 members every four years, with a quota of 4.5 per cent of the vote. In 1999 the ballot paper had to accommodate 264 candidates and 81 parties. Druery played a key role in the election using his 'preference harvesting' strategy and supporting Malcolm Jones of the Outdoor Recreation Party. In
975-552: The end Jones received preferences from 19 party tickets and won a seat, despite having attracted only 0.2 per cent of the primary vote. Druery has been a candidate in several elections. He ran for the New South Wales Legislative Council in the 1999 and 2003 state elections, as a Liberals for Forests candidate for the Senate in the 2004 federal election , and as a Liberal Democrats candidate for
1014-447: The final Greens motion was consistent with Labor's platform which endorsed a two-state solution and made Palestinian recognition "an important priority". Aly said that Payman "could have voted for [the Labor amendment] if she held Labor values". Labor MP for Higgins , Michelle Ananda-Rajah , criticised Payman by saying that there had been "numerous opportunities" for Payman to raise her concerns internally. On 4 July 2024, Payman quit
1053-522: The first-preference votes. His successes in giving effect to his scheme at that and other elections has resulted in Druery being dubbed "the preference whisperer". Druery became incoming Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party Senator Ricky Muir 's senior adviser in July 2014, but was sacked by Muir less than a month later and escorted out of Parliament. Muir informed Druery by email that "You don't get along with
1092-447: The government's messaging "the day before the most significant assistance that has been given to working people in a very long period of time", referring to the stage three tax cuts and energy bill relief which came into effect that day. Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley stated that Payman crossing the floor was a sign of Anthony Albanese's "weak leadership". Labor MP Anne Aly , who had often disagreed with party positions regarding
1131-531: The matter was dismissed. Druery was later quoted in the Herald Sun as saying “it was a frivolous complaint that made Patten relevant as she faced political oblivion”. He also praised her “win at all costs attitude” saying Patten was one of his best students. On November 16, 2022, Angry Victorians Party party leader Heston Russell leaked a video to the Herald Sun of him to talking to Glenn Druery about
1170-683: The staff." During a 2017 ABC report, Druery said he has a personal vendetta against Pauline Hanson's One Nation , saying he has been directing micro party preferences away from One Nation since 1999. In late 2018, it was reported in The Age newspaper that Fiona Patten of the Reason Party had lodged a complaint with the Victorian Electoral Commission, stating that he had asked her party for an up-front fee of $ 5,000 to join his alliance of minor parties and to agree to
1209-435: The two major parties. The speech gained notoriety due to its usage of slang words directed at the younger audiences of Generation Z and Generation Alpha , with Payman saying, "it is for this reason that I shall now render the remainder of my statement in a language they can understand". Payman used colloquialisms such as sigmas , goofy ahh , Ohio , gyat , fanum tax , aura, capping / yapping , and skibidi . The speech
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1248-482: Was a member of parliament in Afghanistan . Payman's family fled the Taliban for Pakistan when she was five years old. Her father arrived in Australia via boat in 1999 and spent time in immigration detention, after which he worked as a security guard, kitchen hand and taxi driver, so he could afford to sponsor the migration of his wife and four children. The rest of the family arrived in Australia in 2003, when Fatima
1287-654: Was awarded "Australian Muslim Role Model of the Year" at the 15th Australian Muslim Achievement Awards at the Sydney Opera House . In a May 2024 speech to the Senate, Payman broke ranks with the Labor Party and accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip , criticised the Australian Government for failing to sufficiently respond to Israel's alleged war crimes in
1326-477: Was characterised as an example of " brainrot ", a term for a certain style of Generation Alpha online content. On 3 October 2024, Druery encouraged speculation that Payman would launch her own party, stating "watch this space". Albanese suggested that Payman should resign from the Senate, giving her seat to Labor, and contest the election with her new party instead of remaining to serve her full Senate term. Payman rejected this and suggested her new party could run
1365-667: Was eight, and settled in Perth . Once in Australia, her mother started a business giving driving lessons. Payman graduated from the Australian Islamic College in Perth, where she was head girl, in 2013. She attended the University of Western Australia , obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology and a Graduate Diploma of Pharmaceutical Science. Payman worked as a pharmacy assistant and chemist at Terry White's from February 2018 until February 2020. Payman joined
1404-539: Was nevertheless still eligible to be elected, deeming that she had taken "all reasonable steps" to renounce her Afghan citizenship. She noted that the Afghan Embassy in Australia did not know whether the departments and officers responsible for processing her application in Kabul even existed. At the 2022 Australian federal election , Payman won the sixth and final Senate vacancy after a swing of 6.92% to Labor and
1443-472: Was president of Young Labor WA and an organiser for the United Workers Union , before becoming an electorate officer for WA Labor politician Pierre Yang . At the 2022 Australian federal election , Payman was elected to the Australian Senate as a senator for Western Australia. She was the third-youngest member to have been elected to the Senate and the first Muslim member of parliament to wear
1482-451: Was suspended from caucus for the remainder of that parliamentary sitting week. Later, on 30 June 2024, Payman was suspended indefinitely from the Labor caucus after stating in an interview that she would cross the floor again if a similar resolution was before the Senate and can no longer participate in any parliamentary meetings of the caucus. Prime Minister and Labor Leader Anthony Albanese stated Payman could return if she "respect[ed]
1521-449: Was third on the Labor Party's ticket for the Senate at the 2022 Australian federal election and not expected to win a seat. She intended to use the 2022 election campaign as "practice" before seriously running in 2025. Payman was naturalised as an Australian citizen in 2005, although this did not automatically revoke her Afghan citizenship according to Afghan law. The 1992 High Court ruling Sykes v Cleary in regards to Section 44 of
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