Political strategist Glenn Druery having ‘informal conversations’ with Muslim groups and Fatima Payman

Political strategist Glenn Druery says he was invited by members of the Muslim community and Fatima Payman to have ‘informal conversations’ about the next election. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Australian political strategist and so-called preference whisperer Glenn Druery has confirmed he’s talking to Muslim community groups and to suspended Labor senator Fatima Payman about the next election.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese told ABC’s 7.30 program it was “not acceptable” for the senator to be talking to groups working against Labor politicians and appeared to claim Payman had been in touch with those campaigners before she was indefinitely suspended from the partyroom.