Series 02: Alan Gibson Stewart papers, 1987-1989 - Page 683
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by open, public and overt political means, they will always attempt to achieve them by covert means.
"When they cannot attack us successfully on our record as a Government or a party they will seek to destroy the individual and personal reputations of the men and women who represent the Labor Government and the Labor party."
I reported for duty at the conference on the Monday morning. Ned Wade, who was the assistant whip, was there to check that the rostered MPs had turned up on time. He took me to one side:
"You should know that one of your people who was here on Saturday was bad-mouthing you," Ned said, "he was saying that you are not trying to win."
"Who was he?" I asked.
"His name was Quail. He said he was your campaign manager."
I rang Bob and asked him to have lunch with me at parliament during the week. I had something to discuss.
As soon as we sat down, I recounted the whip's story of the "bad-mouthing". Bob looked embarrassed.
"Yes-- It's true. I did say that. I was sitting there listening to my Premier making a great fighting speech, with a crowd of MPs there to support him... But my own MP was missing,: he said, lowering his eyes.
Bob and I had worked together on successive