{"title":"Niki Savva","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore the fascinating world of Australian politics through the insightful writings of \u003cem\u003eNiki Savva\u003c\/em\u003e. With a career spanning decades as a political journalist, columnist, and author, Savva offers unparalleled access to the inner workings of political powerhouses and the drama that unfolds behind closed doors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection features some of her most compelling works, including \u003cstrong\u003eBulldozed\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eEarthquake\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ePlots and Prayers\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eSo Greek\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eThe Road to Ruin\u003c\/strong\u003e. Each book delves into significant events and personalities that have shaped Australia's political landscape. Whether you are a political enthusiast or new to the genre, Savva's in-depth and candid accounts are both educational and engaging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eBulldozed\u003c\/em\u003e, she navigates the volatile corridors of power during pivotal political shifts, while \u003cem\u003eEarthquake\u003c\/em\u003e captures the aftershocks felt from major political maneuvers. \u003cem\u003ePlots and Prayers\u003c\/em\u003e provides a behind-the-scenes look at the rise of political figures amidst controversies and alliances. \u003cem\u003eSo Greek\u003c\/em\u003e offers a personal touch, combining memoir elements with political insights. Lastly, \u003cem\u003eThe Road to Ruin\u003c\/em\u003e chronicles the dramatic downfall of a government amid scandal and intrigue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you are delving into \u003cstrong\u003ePolitics \u0026amp; Current Affairs\u003c\/strong\u003e or exploring \u003cstrong\u003eBiography \u0026amp; Memoir\u003c\/strong\u003e, Niki Savva's books provide a profound understanding of political dynamics and the key players within them. Dive into her works to glean a deeper appreciation of the complex world that lies beyond the headlines.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"bulldozed-by-niki-savva-9781922585981","title":"Bulldozed","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe gripping inside story of how Scott Morrison went from miracle man to roadkill.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLaurie Oakes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBetween 2013 and 2022, Tony Abbott begat Malcolm Turnbull, who begat Scott Morrison. For nine long years, Australia was governed by a succession of Coalition governments rocked by instability and bloodletting, and consumed with prosecuting climate and culture wars while neglecting policy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy the end, among his detractors - and there were plenty - Morrison was seen as the worst prime minister since Billy McMahon. Worse even than Tony Abbott, who lasted a scant two years in the job, whose main legacy was that he destroyed Julia Gillard, then himself, and then Turnbull.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMorrison failed to accept the mantle of national leadership, or to deal adequately with the challenges of natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. He thought reform was a vanity project. He said he never wanted to leave a legacy. He got his wish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNiki Savva, Australia's renowned political commentator, author, and columnist, was there for all of it. In \u003cem\u003eThe Road to Ruin\u003c\/em\u003e, she revealed the ruinous behaviour of former prime minister Abbott and his chief of staff, Peta Credlin, that led to the ascension of Turnbull. In \u003cem\u003ePlots and Prayers\u003c\/em\u003e, she told the inside story of the coup that overthrew Turnbull and installed his conniving successor, Morrison.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNow she lays out the final unravelling of the Coalition at the hands of a resurgent Labor and the so-called teal independents that culminated in the historic 2022 election. With her typical access to key players, and her riveting accounts of what went on behind the scenes, \u003cem\u003eBulldozed\u003c\/em\u003e is the unique final volume of an unputdownable and impeccably sourced political trilogy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'I don't hold a hose, mate.' Scott Morrison, 20 December 2019, on the Black Summer bushfires\u003cbr\u003e'It's not a race.' Scott Morrison, 11 March 2021, on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Savva's great skill as a journalist combines with sharp commentary and her vast experience to deliver a powerful analytical coda to Morrison's pointless premiership ... A key strength of \u003cem\u003eBulldozed\u003c\/em\u003e is the way Savva convinces the key players to talk, including some of those closest to Morrison ... \u003cem\u003eBulldozed\u003c\/em\u003e will not be the last word on Morrison's dismal premiership, but it will surely influence future accounts according to the degree to which their authors concur or disagree with Savva. It is a superb insight into a government in terminal moral decline, a regime with little purpose other than the burning career aspirations of its members.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMark Kenny, Australian Book Review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Niki Savva, an accomplished author (especially in the realm of Australian political biography) has now written the definitive study of the fall of the Morrison government. It is as powerful as it is persuasive ... \u003cem\u003eThe Road to Ruin\u003c\/em\u003e was a withering examination of the self-destruction of the Abbott government. This was followed by \u003cem\u003ePlots and Prayers\u003c\/em\u003e which was a sweeping critique of Malcolm Turnbull's disappearance and the treachery of those who backed Scott Morrison into the Lodge. Both books set new benchmarks in forensic evaluation of the deceit that accompanies leadership changes in Canberra. \u003cem\u003eBulldozed\u003c\/em\u003e continues Savva's laser-like examination of the political players ... Savva's interpretations of the cascading episodes which led to the disintegration of the Morrison government are utterly compelling. She has employed the equivalent literary device of a cat o' nine tails, as she flays the former prime minister's reputation for a diversity of failings.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStephen Loosley, The Australian\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Savva's blunt and often eye-popping account of the Morrison Government has smashed the mould of contemporary writing on our country's political contest ... Savva's book reflects the wisdom of her judgements about politics and people formed over decades as a political reporter, and the quality of her skills as a wordsmith. \u003cem\u003eBulldozed\u003c\/em\u003e is also the third instalment of her account of the federal Coalition which gives readers an unparalleled view of a very particular period in Australian politics ... Savva's trilogy of books demonstrates how the finest in her profession can both gain an unparalleled insight into how politics really works but emerge on the other side with their independence intact.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJudges comments for Australian Political Book of the Year Award\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46513574772972,"sku":"9781922585981","price":36.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781922585981.jpg?v=1748904496"},{"product_id":"plots-and-prayers-by-niki-savva-9781925849189","title":"Plots and Prayers","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn an enthralling sequel to her bestselling \u003cem\u003eThe Road to Ruin\u003c\/em\u003e, Niki Savva reveals the inside story of a bungled coup that overthrew the Liberal prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and installed a surprise successor, Scott Morrison, who went on to take the party to a miraculous electoral victory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn 21 August 2018, 35 Liberal MPs cast their vote against Malcolm Turnbull, effectively signalling the end of his leadership. Three days later, the deed was done, and Scott Morrison was anointed prime minister.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTony Abbott's relentless campaign of destabilisation, helped along by his acolytes in the parliament and by his powerful media mates, the betrayals of colleagues, and the rise of the religious right, climaxing in the challenge by Peter Dutton, all played a part in Turnbull's downfall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut so did Turnbull's own poor political judgement. He was a good prime minister and a terrible politician. The good bits of Malcolm were not enough to make up for the bad Malcolm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNevertheless, the sheer brutality of his removal left many Liberals aghast. MPs were traumatised or humiliated by eight days of madness. Men and women cried from sheer anguish. They went through hell, and feared when it was over that they would not make it back - and nor would the Liberal Party.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs it turned out, redemption came with Morrison's unexpected single-handed 2019 election victory. Turnbull's road ended in ruins, as it was always bound to and as he always knew it would, as he predicted to Niki Savva less than three years before it happened.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut when his end was imminent, he could not bear to let go. And when it was over, he was defiant, fragile - and, yes - vengeful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the inside story of what happened - and what happened next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'The result is a forensically researched and brutally revealing chronicle of the days and weeks before and after the August coup - one told with the precision of an investigative journalist but in the elegant narrative style that always makes Savva a great read.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-Paul Williams, Australian Book Review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'How good is this book! So much intrigue. So many revelations. Such a brilliant read.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-Laurie Oakes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Explosive.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-Aidan Wondracz, Daily Mail Australia\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46550430187756,"sku":"9781925849189","price":41.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/18817223482873.jpg?v=1749983742"},{"product_id":"the-road-to-ruin-by-niki-savva-9781925322729","title":"The Road to Ruin","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'There will be no wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e-Tony Abbott, 15 September 2015\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAbbott's performances in the party-room debates on education and climate change ranged between woeful and pathetic. He sounded desperate, he was inconsistent, and—his colleagues thought—slightly ridiculous. They knew he would never stop going after cheap headlines during soft interviews where he sucked up the oxygen, with revision and division as his calling cards. All they could hope was that people would soon grow tired of listening to him. Normal people might have, but the media grew more and more hysterical, as if a challenge were imminent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the original edition of \u003cem\u003eThe Road to Ruin\u003c\/em\u003e, prominent political commentator, author, and columnist for \u003cem\u003eThe Australian\u003c\/em\u003e, Niki Savva, revealed the ruinous behaviour of former prime minister Tony Abbott and his chief of staff, Peta Credlin. Based on her unrivalled access to their colleagues, and devastating first-person accounts of what went on behind the scenes, Savva painted an unforgettable picture of a unique duo who wielded power ruthlessly but not well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat edition became a major bestseller and went on to win an Australian book industry award for the best general non-fiction book of the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNow Savva continues where she left off. This updated edition contains a new, 13,500-word final chapter, in which Savva reveals the inner state of the Turnbull government—and the behind-the-scenes jockeying of friends and foes alike. From the mayhem of an own goal scored by Christopher Pyne, to the ramifications of Tony Abbott's ramped-up destabilisation campaign, it is, as usual, an unputdownable and impeccably sourced account.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'This is what you have to remember about Savva's controversial book, \u003cem\u003eThe Road to Ruin\u003c\/em\u003e—she was onto this story early and she ran with it in her weekly column ... her account of the coup is both suspenseful and full of fascinating, granular detail.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e-Brett Evans, Sydney Morning Herald\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Well researched and well written, with a sharp eye—albeit with an occasional, serrated edge. Savva has written a book in which it is easy to be immersed. The narrative unfolds in a convincing flow, sourced directly from the words of many of the players—the bruised and battered; the disillusioned and disaffected; and ultimately in the triumphant voices of the Coalition plotters ... A compelling book that has established an indelible and influential benchmark for explaining the turbulent rise and tumultuous fall of the Abbott government.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e-Stephen Loosley, Weekend Australian\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'It is a terrific book, but that's not the point here. The point is that Savva does not rely on anonymous sources for her examination of the relationship between Abbott and Peta Credlin. Her sources are named. They speak for themselves. We know who they are and where they worked and we know the terms and circumstances of their relationships with Abbott or Credlin.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e-Michael Gawenda, The Age\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46555751416044,"sku":"9781925322729","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13552623482873.jpg?v=1750117797"},{"product_id":"earthquake-by-niki-savva-9781761381898","title":"Earthquake","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe best of Niki Savva's columns from \u003cem\u003eThe Age\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Sydney Morning Herald\u003c\/em\u003e, along with riveting new chapters, about an epoch-making period in Australian politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the Coalition government was overthrown in 2022, it was tempting to portray the loss as merely a personal repudiation of Scott Morrison. Then, after Antony Albanese's initial honeymoon period, the Labor government became increasingly unpopular while having to negotiate a period of high inflation and a cost-of-living crisis while not provoking the Reserve Bank to either increase interest rates further or delay lowering them. And when opposition leader Peter Dutton torpedoed the referendum on establishing an Indigenous Voice to parliament, his credibility as a political leader improved at the expense of the prime minister's.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat was when, according to Niki Savva, the conservative Coalition thought it had the forthcoming election in the bag. What followed was a sequence of events that resulted in an improbable triumph for Labor and a historic drubbing for the Liberal Party.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNiki had noticed the ground shifting. Back in December 2021, she flagged the emergence of the teals, and the long-term threat they represented to the Liberals: 'The Liberals could lose some of their best and brightest male MPs - if not at the next election, then probably the one after - to female candidates who, once upon a time, they would have killed to recruit and now deride as stooges.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn March 2023, she warned that, 'Saying no to the Voice referendum will win the applause of the Sky After Dark sirens, whose counsel will only lead him (Dutton) to another glorious defeat.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd in August 2023 - 20 months before the 2025 election - she noted that, 'The 2022 federal election result was no ordinary defeat, not just part of a normal cycle of wins and losses. It delivered last rites to the broad-church party that Robert Menzies created.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy early May 2025, she could see signs of the earthquake to come - quoting Labor strategists' confidence that Dutton could be beaten in his own seat of Dickson, she wrote that, 'Removing Dutton would be a considerable coup. So would Labor winning Menzies in Victoria, held by Keith Wolahan on a margin of 0.4 per cent, where Labor reckons Dutton is even more unpopular than Scott Morrison was - a big call, hotly disputed by Liberals on the ground. Still, if Labor won both Dickson and Menzies, it would, in one election, eliminate the Liberals' present and potential future leadership.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery word of this came to pass. In her highly popular columns, Niki Savva captured all this and more in her typically uncompromising, penetrating, and prescient way. Now, in addition, she provides a considered analysis of what went on behind the scenes, accompanied by her trademark access to important players and eyewitnesses, before an election that transformed Australian politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEarthquake\u003c\/em\u003e by Niki Savva is an essential read for understanding the seismic shifts in Australian politics during this period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46800545939692,"sku":"9781761381898","price":45.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781761381898.jpg?v=1757293703"},{"product_id":"so-greek-by-niki-savva-9781921640834","title":"So Greek","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn in a small village in Cyprus, Niki Savva spent her childhood in Melbourne's working-class suburbs — frontiers where locals were suspicious of olive oil, and Greek kids spoke Gringlish to their parents. Only a few decades later, despite all the challenges of being a migrant woman in Australia, Savva had risen through the ranks of political journalism at \u003cem\u003eThe Australian\u003c\/em\u003e, and had gone on to head the Canberra bureaus of both the Melbourne \u003cem\u003eHerald Sun\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Age\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThen in 1997, family tragedy struck, and she was forced to reassess her career. In spite of her own Labor convictions, she became Liberal treasurer Peter Costello's press secretary, a role that she kept for six years before moving on to join John Howard's staff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of the few books about Australian political life written by an insider with decades of exposure to its major players. Hilarious, moving, and endlessly fascinating, \u003cem\u003eSo Greek\u003c\/em\u003e is a story that moves between countries, cultures, careers and, ultimately, political convictions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46849964015852,"sku":"9781921640834","price":40.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/4819463482872.jpg?v=1759068530"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/niki-savva.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}