Contents

Prologue

1 A unique coup

2 Whine and whispers

3 Barnaby’s doodle

4 A waste of energy

5 Days of madness

6 Prayers, plots, and plans

7 My learned friend

8 Oh, Mathias

9 Politically right, personally wrong

10 A touch of the Keatings

11 Queensland: perfect one day, shitty the next

12 Bullies and Co.

13 The spillover effects

14 Getting to know Scomo

15 In God’s hands

Acknowledgements