Black Dog Daze

Book excerpt: Andrew Robb lived with an unspoken fear that what he passed off as 'not being good in the mornings' was something darker: a black dog whose daily visit lasted longer as the years passed. Worried about stigmas and letting people down, he avoided confronting the problem for four decades, the adrenaline of high-pressure and high profile jobs offering the ideal antidote. Ultimately, realising his ambitions meant having to face up to this very private demon. Andrew Robb's battle with the black dog has touched a chord with many Australians. His memoir explores the challenges of managing depression, political ambition and life in the Liberal Party. Andrew Robb's career has been devoted to the Liberal cause-as Federal Director of the Liberal Party, as Executive Director of the National Farmers Federation, during seven years in the Packer business empire, and now in parliamentary politics. His memoirs document the private struggle and the public life of the Liberal Party's chief political strategist. It offers readers an insight into one man's lifelong battle with a private demon amidst the drama and tumult of contemporary Australian politics.