Gary Gray AO was born in the coal and steel town of Rotherham, Yorkshire in 1958. His family were ten-pound Pom who settled in Whyalla, South Australia, in 1966. Gary met Gough for the first time at a 1977 campaign event in Whyalla. Gary was National Secretary of the ALP from 1993 to 2000 and MHR for the seat of Brand from 2007 to 2016. Gough and Gary enjoyed an active, friendly, often humorous relationship for more than 30 years.