a shadow minister from 1987 until 1996. His posts included Shadow Minister for Housing, Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation, and then Shadow Attorney-General in 1988. In the latter capacity, he led the successful "no" campaign at the 1988 constitutional referendum. He was also Shadow Minister for Defence and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. After the defeat of the Liberal Party led by Andrew Peacock at the 1990 federal election, and Peacock's subsequent resignation from the leadership, Reith sought the leadership himself, but was defeated by John Hewson, who won by 62 votes to 13. Following Hewson's victory Reith was then elected deputy opposition leader and appointed Shadow Treasurer, a position he held from 1990 to 1993. Along with Hewson, Reith was one of the architects of the Liberal Party's "Fightback!" policy, which included a Goods and Services Tax. In 1991, he was technically shadow to five Treasurers. This came as a result of the ruling Labor Party having a leadership crisis that year. Reith was Shadow Treasurer when the 1990, 1991 and 1992 Budgets were delivered and each by a different Treasurer. He resigned as Shadow Treasurer after the Liberals were defeated in the 1993 election. He lost the deputy Liberal leadership in the post-election ballot, and was replaced by Michael Wooldridge. Despite the fact that Reith was the incumbent deputy leader, he had five challengers to his position, including Wooldridge, and Reith did not win enough votes to make it to the final ballot. Following the landslide victory of John Howard at the 1996 election, Reith was appointed Minister for Industrial Relations, and Leader of the House. He was one of the best-known and most influential members of Howard's cabinet. His responsibilities involved drafting and implementing the government's industrial relations policy, and he is perhaps best known for the significant productivity reforms which followed the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute. Reith's handling of the dispute, which included the failed attempt to use Australian Armed forces personnel, trained in Dubai to take over waterfront jobs and later the use of balaclava clad hired security guards with dogs, to remove working waterside workers from the work site. He strongly supported Patrick Corporation in its contest with the Maritime Union of Australia, which led to bitter opposition from the unions and the Australian Labor Party (ALP). The dispute was eventually settled in the courts with the decision going in the unions' favour