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machines cranked up for a major effort.   If Labor won the seat, Wran would go to the polls in a general election as soon as possible.   Earlwood was the litmus test.

        Peter Randall and I drove accross Sydney to help on the day of the by-election.   I hoped to pick up some ideas for my own campaign:   the design of posters and pamphlets, the organisation of booth workers, the management of publicity.

        We reported to the campaign office, which was set up in a shop on a main street.   It had been refurbished and decorated with professional songwriting. Calmly sitting behind a desk was the campaign manager, Steve Loosely.   A young graduate in Political Science, Loosely was Assistant General Secretary or the A.L.P. in N.S.W.   I was pleased to see that his chubby face was enhanced by a curly ginger beard.   He chatted with us while workers bustled in and out, and messages were taken on a battery of phones by office staff.

        "Communication is the thing," Loosely advised, leaning back in his chair.

        "What about publicity?"

        "You must talk to the Press early in the piece--we've had a good run from them here."

        We were sent off to help at a booth for the rest of the day.    There we found a local team supported by a mixture of party members from all over Sydney.

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