The Man Who Couldn't Wait: The true story of Australia's first political assassination

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Debbie Whitmont

The Man Who Couldn't Wait

Name: The Man Who Couldn't Wait
Price: 34.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781761473111

The true story of Australia's first political assassination

Debbie Whitmont

$34.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

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English

Allen & Unwin
28 April 2026

Biography; True crime; Political assassinations

'I think that every now and again our wonderful system cocks up, and this was one of those times.' Former ALP Senator Graham Richardson

Cabramatta was embroiled in a heroin epidemic, gang wars and demands to deport Vietnamese gangsters when local MP John Newman was gunned down in the driveway of his home.

Newman's murder was billed as Australia's first political assassination and the killer was identified within hours as the politically ambitious Vietnamese refugee and Deputy Mayor, Phuong Ngo.

Ngo was found guilty of killing Newman to take his seat in parliament and sentenced to die in jail. But there have always been questions about his conviction.

Why did it take seven years and three trials to find Phuong Ngo guilty? Why were the names of so many witnesses and so much evidence kept secret? How could Ngo be the murder mastermind when both of the men accused of shooting Newman were acquitted? Why is the killer still at large? And why do some of the most senior politicians of the day say they never believed Phuong Ngo was guilty?

For the first time, Phuong Ngo tells his story, and The Man Who Couldn't Wait unpicks one of the country's longest and most secretive investigations.

'Superbly told - a story that gnaws at the conscience of the country.' David Marr

By: Debbie Whitmont
Imprint: Allen & Unwin
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm,
ISBN: 9781761473111
ISBN 10: 1761473115
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 28 April 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Author's Note Publisher's Note Prologue 1 A Political Assassination 2 Down the Rabbit Hole 3 A Judicial Inquiry 4 'From the Mouth of the Horse' 5 Vietnam 6 Escape 7 Cabramatta 8 Accidentally Elected 9 The Heroin Capital and the 5T Gang 10 Party Games 11 The House of Guangzhou 12 The Night of the Murder 13 First Witnesses 14 A Media Frenzy 15 First Police Interviews 16 Taskforce Gap 17 Making Sausages 18 The NSW Crime Commission 19 The Inquest 20 A Rusty Pistol 21 The Committal Hearing 22 Phone Evidence 23 Exit Bob 24 The Albert Ranse Red Herring 25 Three Police Interviews 26 Albert Ranse Is Confused 27 Stinking Fish 28 Rolling Over 29 A Third Crown Witness 30 A Cultural Statement 31 The Running Sheet 32 The Truck 33 A Disastrous Witness 34 A 'Rogue' Juror 35 The Final Trial 36 Quang Dao 37 A Joint Enterprise of One 38 Emancipated 39 Richo and Della Bosca 40 The Grills and Gates Cafe Postscript Acknowledgements Notes

Debbie Whitmont is a journalist and lawyer, a former Middle East Correspondent and reporter for the ABC's Four Corners program for more than two decades. She has won two Walkley Awards and three Human Rights Commission TV Awards.