Will Tasmania get its own answer to The Latham
Diaries as the state prepares for a poll next year?

Former
Liberal leader Bob Cheek is working on his memoirs – and his successor, Rene
Hidding, is concerned – concerned enough to send a very sternly worded warning:

Dear Bob,

It would
appear from newspaper articles, that you intend to publish a book, presumably a
memoir of sorts.

It is
important to me that you understand clearly what my position is, prior to
publication, on any material contained in your book which is designed to damage
me personally, my family or me in my current office as Leader of the
Opposition. I have taken high-level legal advice on this matter.

Based on
the timing of the release of your book, I take it that you will be seeking to
inflict damage of some sort, so I give you fair notice that, if you rely on
gossip, rumour or innuendo etc in order to damage my reputation or character I
will be taking immediate action in the Supreme Court to recover exemplary
damages. Any allegations you make against me, based on first hand or second
hand information will need to stand up as clear ‘truth’ in court.

You
should seek advice as to how a case for exemplary damages proceeds. Step one is
a full and frank declaration of the assets of you and your family to the court
and the plaintiff…

Yowsers!
That’s heavy. Then again, the two ain’t exactly mates.

Cheek
lost his seat at the election in 2002. That night, he claimed Hidding was “more
right than Attila then Hun” (yup, the man’s an original thinker) and referred
to comments supposedly made by Hidding that he saw nothing wrong with kiddies as
young as 10 playing with guns.

The
timing of the memoirs is beautiful – as is Hidding’s over the top warning.
Going out all guns blazing – geddit?!? – begs the question: what has he got to
hide?