20th November 1999

White ants eating from the inside or out.
You be the judge?

The document supplied by Alan Esson, makes some startling revelations and offers first hand experiences of one of David Ettridge's "white ants". Experiences which I can now appreciate. It was compiled by Esson earlier this week after he discovered that he was on David Ettridge's (1997) official "white ant" list. It was prepared in his own defence - something he has not been able to do until now.

I will leave you to read it and make your own assessments but in summary Esson and key active members of, once, very healthy One Nation branches in northern Queensland were expelled from the party because they:

• dared question what the two Davids were doing and their intentions in 1997
• complained about the lack of response from Manly office at a time when Ettridge was engrossed in launching his "Champions" magazine - while using the office and One Nation's staff to write letters on behalf of his company contracted to manage One Nation (Champions Magazine Pty Ltd).

There were obviously a number of other concerns and factors involved but the above two are the key issues.

Sadly Pauline Hanson let expulsions happen. I was there that day in Hervey Bay when Alf Dennis, one of Pauline's original supporters walked out in disgust over the incompetence and rudeness of the two Davids. Esson refers to this meeting in his document.... the facts he raises now I knew nothing of at that time - because I was not allowed to! I recall that there was no agenda just speeches by Ettridge and Hanson.

In the image on the right Alf Dennis remonstrates with David Ettridge over his incompetence at that Hervey Bay meeting... I remember how Dennis walked out in disgust over David Ettridge - how Pauline Hanson rushed out after him while a packed hall of over 100 members sat stunned. I remember how Pauline brought Dennis back into the room after a short discussion outside the room - her arm around his shoulders - both in tears. The hall erupted into loud clapping as Dennis returned to his seat. Days later Ettridge proclaimed Alf Dennis an official whiteant.

Hervey Bay never recovered from that meeting with membership collapsing after several members were declared "white ants" by Ettridge.

When I first blew the whistle on the hidden intentions of David Oldfield to be party leader earlier this month I knew that my actions would most likely result in my expulsion, and certainly force my resignation as web master.

I was prepared to make that sacrifice as issues, not personality, have always been my driving force. For me it was easy, but for the men like Alf Dennis and Alan Esson who admired and worshipped the ground that Pauline Hanson walked on the decision devastated them.

These are good men. Members no more.

Ettridge and Oldfield's method of dealing with white ants has always been the same:

• Listen to the complaint as if you care.
• Write a please explain letter if it is directed at the two Davids or Pauline
• Expel the member
• Write a letter to all branches and members advising them to have nothing to do with the "white ant" who is hell bent on destroying "our valued party".
• Ignore the person from then on

A word of advice: If you don't want to become a "white ant" do not complain to Manly - just mutter about your concerns in your branch.

In the shadows the two real white ants in the form of David Ettridge and David Oldfield continue to gnaw away and destroy what should be the real third force in Australia today - not the shadow of its 1998 heyday which followed on the, once, unstoppable swell of support for Pauline Hanson in 1997.

The only way that we can deal with these white ants running the organisation is by exposing them - this is in the public interest and that of the members. I will continue to do this, factually and methodically until One Nation is cleansed.