Legal papers have been served on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott by the co-founder of the now-defunct One Nation party.

David Ettridge is suing for $1.5 million, accusing Mr Abbott of acting unlawfully in 1998 by assisting and encouraging litigation against One Nation that led to the party being deregistered.

Mr Ettridge and fellow founder Pauline Hanson were jailed for electoral breaches but the conviction was later overturned.

Mr Ettridge outlined his allegations in an interview with the ABC's PM program.

"He assisted a gentleman who'd been a former One Nation party member to conduct a series of attacks through the Queensland courts against the One Nation party," he said.

"Those attacks were completely false and malicious in nature, there was no truth to them, but Mr Abbott continued to provide finance and support through the provision of legal firm barristers and a QC, to help drive that false and malicious argument through the courts.

"And of course by doing that, he was trying to give it credibility it didn't have."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 4 minutes 13 seconds 4 m 13 s David Ettridge speaks to PM Download 1.9 MB

An administrative hearing is set to be held in the Supreme Court in Brisbane next month.

"This matter is all about the behaviour of a gentleman who wants to be the next prime minister of Australia," Mr Ettridge said.

"He is a fellow who has shown no respect at all for the laws of Australia or the laws of Queensland.

"He showed no respect the rights that were enshrined in electoral law for the democratic process of Queensland."

Mr Abbott's office has confirmed he has received the papers.