One Nation’s Victoria leader Warren Pickering has admitted to using illegal drugs in his 20s at a press conference. Photograph: James Ross/AAPView image in fullscreenOne Nation’s Victoria leader Warren Pickering has admitted to using illegal drugs in his 20s at a press conference. Photograph: James Ross/AAPOne Nation’s Warren Pickering admits to illegal drug use and says he is ‘no angel’ in extraordinary press conferenceVictorian One Nation leader tells media he has used methamphetamine, speed and marijuana
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The Victorian One Nation leader, Warren Pickering, has admitted he “made mistakes” in his 20s, including using ecstasy, methamphetamines and marijuana, losing his license multiple times for drink driving and hurting people he loved.
But he has denied claims by his ex-partner, published by The Australian, that he smoked ice – also known as crystal meth – in front of children and said he was considering legal action against the publication at a press conference on Tuesday. Guardian Australia and the ABC were barred from attending the press conference.
Accompanied by James Ashby, One Nation’s national director, and his daughter and stepson, Pickering said he was “no angel” as a young man and used illegal drugs in his 20s.
Read more“Never would I have ever said that I was somebody who was a drug addict. I did use them … as a young man and I’m not proud of that,” Pickering said.
He listed ecstasy, methamphetamine, speed and marijuana, but denied using ice or smoking it while his children were home.
“No, I did not,” Pickering said, when asked directly.
View image in fullscreenWarren Pickering at the press conference in Melbourne. Photograph: James Ross/AAPPickering also confirmed he lost his license three times for drink driving.
“I believe I lost my license for drink driving as an 18-year-old, and again as a 20-year-old, and then probably a decade later, I believe they were low-level drink driving,” he said.
Pickering said his actions “hurt people I loved, and I will live with that forever”. But he said he “changed his life dramatically” for the sake of his daughter and three stepsons, became clean and joined the Australian Defence Force, which he said gave him a sense of purpose.
“That’s what inspired me to engage in the political sphere to provide service to community in a different way, post-service,” he said.
Ashby also spoke, telling reporters a handwritten note by Pickering published by The Australian, which references “sexual deviance”, was in relation to “behaviour that involved the couple’s open relationship”.
“They opened that relationship to a third person, and at the same time, Mr Pickering was exploring his own sexuality,” Ashby said.
Pickering said he was “working with the lawyers” to get the stories “taken” down and was receiving advice about possible defamation action.
Reporters from The Australian were able to attend the press conference at Crown Casino. However, reporters from both Guardian Australia and the ABC were asked by Ashby to leave after identifying the media outlet they worked for.
