Series 02: Alan Gibson Stewart papers, 1987-1989 - Page 221
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"WRAN BACK WITH RECORD VOTE"
"COLEMAN DUMPED!"
"Wran the Man yesterday shattered the Liberal Party, toppled its leader Peter Coleman and won control of both houses of parliament in the state's biggest ever election victory," . . . reported the Telegraph,
"The NSW Premier swept back to power with a swing of more thatn 8 per cent in the Legislative Assembly, capturing a record 58 per cent of the primary vote...Mr Coleman was defeated in his seat of Fuller - - after a massive 12.2 per cent swing sent him into political oblivion....The Liberals even lost the blue ribbon seat of Manly."
We had won eleven of the thirteen booths in the electorate of Manly; with a swing of 12 per cent, just as the University "market research" had predicted. Since my primary votes were greater than 50 per cent of the total, there would be no distribution of preferences. The normal recounts would be held, but in the case of Manly this would be merely a formality.
So I was now the Member for Manly; whatever that entailed.
Several weeks before, John Coombs had given me an invitation. As President of Amnesty International he was organising a fund raising barbecue at a park in Hunter's Hill on the day after the election. He made me