"Oh my god. Sacha this is incredible!"

It was the twenty-fourth of November, and Sacha was on the 'phone to Kate. Sacha was at home watching the election with Hannah, who she'd insisted had to stay in and watch it with her; Kate was back home in Canberra, watching it at their parents' house.

"I've got a friend who's in the tally room" Kate continued, "and he keeps ringing me up and telling me about all the numbers coming in, and then Kerry O'Brien goes through them all on the A.B.C., and then I'm trying to pay attention to both of them and it's all so exciting that I can't concentrate on any one thing and I feel like I'm missing out on it all but it's amazing!"

"I know!" Sacha laughed, and she kept laughing, and she couldn't find words. "I know, it's . . ." But she just had to laugh.

"And even his seat!" Kate said in astonishment and delight. "Howard, he's just - gone!"

"Is that definite yet? That's he lost Bennelong?"

"Oh, who fucking cares! I just, it's been so long, I can't even remember . . . It's just . . . I love this country so much tonight!"

"I wish I was there with you" Sacha said, as she heard somebody yelling with pleasure on the street outside her and Hannah's house.

"I wish you were too!" Kate shouted. "Oh my god, I miss you so much right now."

"Canberra must be amazing" Sacha said.

"What?" Kate had to cover her free ear as the friends gathered in her parents' house cheered and applauded when the result for the electorate of Eden-Monaro was flashed up on the T.V. screen.

"I said everyone in Canberra must be so excited" Sacha said.

"Yeah, have you seen on the T.V.? Every time Labor wins another seat there's this massive cheer. There's all these Canberra people in there and they've all been waiting for this for so long! We've all been waiting for eleven years! Eleven years!"

"Do you think people have voted against Howard, or for Rudd?" Sacha asked.

"Oh, fuck, Sacha, does it matter? It's happened! I never thought it would happen! Fuck - hang on - Oh my god! Eighty seats they're saying now!" Suddenly Kate's voice cut out, but Sacha could still hear the voices of all the friends in the background.

"Kate? Katie? You okay?"

"Oh Jesus, I think I'm starting to cry" Kate said. "I'm so fucking happy! I never thought we'd get rid of him! Sacha, we're rid of him!"