In 1996 the political stakes had never been higher. For the Coalition, this was the final throw of the dice - a last ditch attempt to rescue the Liberal Party from the ruins after Hewson and Downer. For Labor, this was the opportunity to prove that its leadership of the nation did not rest on the electorate's rejection of the GST in 1993. For John Howard and Paul Keating, this was the concluding bout in a bitter struggle played out over two decades.

The result of exclusive access to the Liberal's campaign 'war room' and countless hours of confidential interviews with key players on both sides of the political contest, The Victory is the inside account of the demolition of 13 years of Labor dominance. It tracks the resurrection of the Liberal Party and reveals the depth of Labor's inner crisis.

Pamela Williams' detailed scrutiny of the inner workings of the 1996 election campaign shatters long-cherished political myths to reveal the brutal realities of today's politics. The picture she builds - of imperial courts and shadowy powerbrokers, pollsters and advertising agents, public and private duels - changes forever the way we think about Australian politics.