The murder of lender of last resort Michael McGurk and the revelations the company he kept reached all the way into State Parliament would have had a familiar ring to the anti-corruption campaigner, whose tell-all biography is being prepared for the presses.

Having fought for a more transparent system of government for much of his 22 years in politics, this latest episode in what seems to be a never-ending story of undue influence and murky dealings would have come as no surprise.

He has always maintained that the system in NSW is what is at fault, and that its very nature leads to corruption and abuse of power.

Certainly, the shadows seem to descend over NSW every 10 years or so, with scandal followed by inquiry followed by scandal and further inquiry.

Successive governments have vowed solemnly to fix the problems Mr Hatton kept banging on about when he was an MP. Successive governments have failed miserably.

Mr Hatton’s biography promises to be a must-read for anyone who has watched the almost inevitable slide to the dark side of NSW politics.

It also promises to be an inspiration to anyone seeking a career change later in late. Its author, Ruth Richmond, has demonstrated that no matter how advanced in years one may be, it is never too late to embark on and complete and ambitious project.