Lyneham line: [1 FIRST Edition]

Abstract

[Peter Costello] was launching Paul yneham-a memoir and recalled how as a fresh-faced pollie he had gone out for an innocent meal with the legendary political journalist who died in 2000.

HORROR of horrors!The man who may yet be PM, Peter Costello, has admitted to drinking to excess and allowing a journalist to put words into his mouth.

Costello was launching Paul yneham-a memoir and recalled how as a fresh-faced pollie he had gone out for an innocent meal with the legendary political journalist who died in 2000.

"There were only two of us at dinner," Costello said. "After the first and second bottles,we decided I had a great political future. After the next two, we decided Paul had five or six Walkleys (media awards) left in him.

"And after that I can 't remember much that we decided at all, except that my office rang me to get a press release.

"And Paul took the phone and dictated a statement on corporations law that was put out as my press release, was considered quite successful, and widely reported the next day."

Illustration

Caption: A bottle of wine; Photo: Photo