Collier for Miranda

Collier for Miranda: The 1999 Labor Campaign is an easy-to-read, political memoir with a difference. It’s the true story of a grassroots campaign by a first-time candidate seeking election as the Labor MP for the southern Sydney seat of Miranda in the New South Wales Parliament

An unknown, inexperienced political aspirant given no chance of defeating the very high profile, sitting Liberal MP, Barry Collier recounts his 1999 campaign — run on a shoestring budget with the help of local Labor Party members and supporters. Barry takes you on a real political journey, from his preselection to election night itself. Along the way, he reveals his conversations with voters at their front doors, on the streets, at the railway stations and at the polling booths. He outlines the lessons he learnt and offers practical, down-to-earth advice with do’s and don’ts about campaigning. This book is a must read for political aspirants about to set foot on that perilous campaign trail and for the student of Australian politics. The lessons of the 1999 Labor campaign for Miranda are as relevant today as back then.

Author Biography

Barry Collier was the Labor MP for the southern Sydney seat of Miranda in the NSW Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2011. Having retired after three terms, he returned to Parliament in 2013 with a record 27% by-election swing against the Liberal Government. A barrister and former high school Economics teacher, Barry Collier was awarded the Order of Australia Medal ‘for service to the Parliament of New South Wales, to the law and to education’ in 2017.