Minor parties have their sights set on a number of marginal seats as they prepare to battle the government over planned changes to the Senate voting system.
Upper house members from the Liberal Democrats, Family First, the Animal Justice Party and the Shooters and Fishers Party were among dozens at a "war room" meeting of micro party members in Sydney on Saturday.
The meeting followed the Turnbull government's decision to amend planned changes to the way Australians vote for the Senate, by allowing voters to allocate at least 12 below-the-line preferences, reducing the impact of preference deals.
Political consultant Glenn Druery was at the meeting and said strategies discussed included the targeting by progressive parties of seats such as Petrie, Banks and La Trobe, with a plan to preference the ALP over the Greens.
Plans were also put in motion for right-wing parties to target 10 to 15 marginal seats currently held by the coalition.
"It seems we have a prime minister hell-bent on stopping minor parties and independents entering the political system," Mr Druery told AAP.
"He might be in for a surprise or two because there's some very, very angry minor parties who are likely to take a seat or two off his government at the next election."
The strategising came as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull labelled the 2013 senate election, which resulted in a record 18 cross-benchers, as an embarrassment for Australian democracy.
"To have people elected through back-room preference whispering deals, elected on a tiny percentage of votes, was a disgrace," he told a NSW Liberal Party council meeting on the central coast.
Mr Druery said Saturday's meeting of micro parties was the first of several as members dig in their heels and prepare for a series of skirmishes.
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