Series 02: Alan Gibson Stewart papers, 1987-1989 - Page 733
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with Government departments, and putting out press releases. It had only a limited amount of room for people to work. I therefore decided to split the campaign team in two.
The shop would be our campaign headquarters, and would be run by Willie and Alf Thorpe. All volunteers would work from there. The electorate office would act as a communications centre. David Stewart would act as courier between the two offices.
Three formidable women would run the electorate office during the race to the election. Chris Humphries had been chosen as a replacement for Donna. Although inexperienced in political campaigning, she was an expert in secretarial work. Julie Berry, now secretary of Manly SEC, knew the local politics, and worked in the back room on co-ordinating the campaign within the electorate. Marie Fisher occupied my usual chair -- as a member of the Upper House, she could carry out many of the routine tasks normally carried out by the local MP. She could conduct interviews and make representations; and she knew how to communicate directly with ministers and their staff. I told her that it was her job to keep me out of the office -- and on the campaign trail.
Craig Johnston, a post-graduate student in politics, had been editing Manly First since the last election; and the March edition was at the printer.