The wool industry leader who used a one-way mirror to secretly observe farmers during a focus group has defended voting in board elections for other growers.
Embattled Australian Wool Innovation chairman Wal Merriman also admitted he breached the organisation's code of practice by telling a journalist to "f*** off".
He apologised during a sometimes heated Senate hearing for the infamous 'man-in-the-mirror' incident.
Mr Merriman said the covert viewing did not meet the sensibilities of wool growers who were told their comments would be anonymous.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said there was a "war" going on between traditional and progressive farmers.
She said Mr Merriman, who favours traditional methods, had secretly viewed the opposing camp during the focus group.
"One side feels very maligned that you let the captain of the other team listen to their inner-most thoughts," Senator McKenzie told the hearing in Canberra on Tuesday.
Mr Merriman denied he was the captain of one side, but said he saw no difference between the focus group and a regular meeting despite the mirror being "strange".
He didn't know one-way glass would be used, but denied media reports he had been warned not to attend.
Committee chairman Barry O'Sullivan grilled the panel of AWI executives and directors over board elections.
Mr Merriman estimated up to half of the votes in elections were cast by him through proxy.
"Did that just not go off like a cracker night for you?" Senator O'Sullivan responded.
Figures provided to the committee showed Mr Merriman was given 20,000 proxies in last year's 90,000-vote election, while he had voted for 30,000 of the 180,000 shareholders in the 2013 election.
"How do you expect me to stop them from giving them to me?" Mr Merriman asked Senator O'Sullivan.
The senator said Mr Merriman needed to refuse to accept proxies to dismiss suggestions he was manipulating elections.
Mr Merriman also apologised for telling an ABC reporter to "f*** off" and describing him as a "useless prick", when he attempted to interview him at a function earlier in the month.
"The language I used was more fitting for a shearing shed. I'm from the bush," he said.
Senator McKenzie said Mr Merriman's admission he breached AWI's code of practice was an "incredible failure of understanding good governance".
There have been calls for Mr Merriman's resignation over what some growers describe as a toxic culture in the industry.
"It's fair to say AWI has had a difficult few months, mostly caused by me," Mr Merriman said.
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