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Photograph: James Ross/AAP     (one-nations-warren-pickering-admits-to-drug-use-and-says-he-is-no-angel-in-extraordinary-press-conference-ntwnfb.html#img-1)   View image in fullscreen       One Nation’s Victoria leader Warren Pickering has admitted to using illegal drugs in his 20s at a press conference. Photograph: James Ross/AAP       (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/victorian-politics) Victorian politics     One Nation’s Warren Pickering admits to illegal drug use and says he is ‘no angel’ in extraordinary press conference   Victorian One Nation leader says his actions ‘hurt people I loved, and I will live with that forever’ (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/sep/08/barnaby-joyce-one-nation-superannuation-plan-john-howard-immigration-anthony-albanese-labor-angus-taylor-coalition-pauline-hanson-ntwnfb) Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates   Get our (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl) breaking news email , (https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3) free app or (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl) daily news podcast            (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/benita-kolovos) Benita Kolovos Victorian state correspondent    Tue 8 Sep 2026 04.04 EDT  First published on Tue 8 Sep 2026 03.22 EDT   (mailto:?subject=One Nation’s Warren Pickering admits to illegal drug use and says he is ‘no angel’ in extraordinary press conference&body=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/08/one-nations-warren-pickering-admits-to-drug-use-and-says-he-is-no-angel-in-extraordinary-press-conference-ntwnfb?CMP=share_btn_url) Share          (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com) Prefer the Guardian on Google          The Victorian (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/one-nation) One Nation leader, Warren Pickering, has admitted he “made mistakes” in his 20s, including using ecstasy, methamphetamines and marijuana, losing his licence 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. (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/08/barnaby-joyce-not-jesus-christ-one-nation-early-access-super-policy)  Barnaby Joyce says he’s not ‘Jesus Christ’ and admits One Nation has not modelled super policy in fiery interviews     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. Pressed by a reporter about whether he had used ice, Pickering said “ice is not on that list.” When the reporter said methamphetamines are ice, Pickering replied: “Well, speed”. “Look, guys, I’m clearly not as familiar with the terms … as you would like me to be,” he said. “I wasn’t an experienced drug taker.”       (Warren Pickering at the press conference in Melbourne.)   (one-nations-warren-pickering-admits-to-drug-use-and-says-he-is-no-angel-in-extraordinary-press-conference-ntwnfb.html#img-2)   View image in fullscreen       Warren Pickering at the press conference in Melbourne. Photograph: James Ross/AAP  Pickering also confirmed he lost his driver’s licence three times for drink driving. “I believe I lost my licence 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. (one-nations-warren-pickering-admits-to-drug-use-and-says-he-is-no-angel-in-extraordinary-press-conference-ntwnfb.html#EmailSignup-skip-link-14) skip past newsletter promotion    Free newsletter | When needed Sign up to Breaking News Australia  Get the most important news as it breaks  ()   Enter your email  ()   Sign up      after newsletter promotion   Pickering said his actions “hurt people I loved, and I will live with that forever”. But he said he had “changed his life dramatically” for the sake of his daughter and three stepsons, stopped using drugs 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 from 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.         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