WA Senator Fatima Payman hires ‘preference whisperer’ Glenn Druery as her chief of staff

Newly Independent WA Senator Fatima Payman has hired so-called “preference whisperer” Glenn Druery as her chief of staff.

The appointment comes after the Senator quit Labor in July, to sit on the crossbench, citing the ALP’s “indifference” to the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.

It was reported last month that Ms Payman had first met Mr Druery at a meeting in June organised by members of the Muslim community prior to her quitting the ALP.

“I don’t want to talk about the details - It was a private meeting,” Mr Druery told The West Australian on Friday.

“In my view, any suggestion the senator had been planning her leaving the ALP for weeks or months as has been suggested by some people is untrue.

“What I saw in that first meeting was a person of conviction.

“I offered help, if she wanted help - that if she reached out I was there for her.”

Mr Druery is a political operative nicknamed the “preference whispererer” for helping minor parties get candidates elected to the Federal Parliament.

On June 25, Senator Payman made national headlines when she crossed the floor of the Senate to support a motion by the Greens recognising the state of Palestine.

It was the first time any Labor politician had done so since 1998 and sparked a political firestorm in the process, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese banning her from Caucus meetings as punishment.

She said colleagues also gave her the cold shoulder for her decision to go against party rules and vote according to her conscience, rather than a party position agreed to by Caucus.

Days later, Senator Payman would tell The Sunday Times and the national media she could not promise the PM she would not defy him again on the issue.

Subsequently, on July 4, Senator Payman sensationally quit the ALP.

Senator Payman has maintained her decision to cross the floor – and afterwards quit the ALP – was solely hers.

Ms Payman said she had contacted Mr Druery to help her organise the July 4 media conference.

“The decision to offer the position (of chief of staff) to Glenn was based on his extensive experience in the political arena working with independent and minor party Senators over the past decades, and his abilities in building alliances, navigating public relations and engaging in negotiations to maximise my impact in representing WA in the Senate,” Senator Payman said on Friday.

“I first met Glenn Druery at a June meeting organised by Western Sydney community leaders, where we discussed my political options in the event of my potential expulsion from the Labor Party amid my growing isolation from Caucus.

“The only other time I spoke with Mr Druery while still in the Labor Party was on Thursday 4 July when seeking support to liaise with journalists and arrange a press conference.

“Mr Druery was not aware of the details of the press conference.

“The decisions to cross the floor and resign were my own and ones made on the principles of justice, freedom and equality for all.”

Since quitting the ALP, Senator Fayman has been touring WA to get feedback on issues important to West Australians.

She has been accompanied on the WA road trip by her husband Jacob Stokes, who quit his job as a policy officer for WA Minister Stephen Dawson just a few weeks ago to support his wife.

“Visiting 12 towns in 12 days across regional Western Australia from Kalgoorlie to Kununurra, was a powerful reminder of just how unique the needs of our great state are compared to over east,” she said.

“Western Australians have long known that what works in Sydney and Melbourne simply doesn’t cut it here in WA.

“Sadly, our voice is still getting drowned out in the halls of Parliament House.

“This needs to change. I am honoured and excited to being heading back to Parliament to be WA’s megaphone in Canberra, to make sure our voice is heard loud and clear.”

On Sunday, she will head back to Canberra for a new parliamentary sitting - but as an independent senator.

She has discounted suggestions she would form a Muslim party.

“I will not be forming a Muslim only party,” she said.

“And I am not thinking about a party at this stage.

“I just want to be an effective WA senator.”

Mr Druery said he believed Ms Payman could win as an independent senator when her term expired in four years.

“The so-called reforms of 2016 has made it more difficult for ordinary West Australians to win (a seat in parliament),” Mr Druery said.

“If the senator is of the view she wants to run again, then I will be more than happy to help.”