[1] In late 2008, Gray earned himself some bad publicity when he was accused of two instances of "bullying", both of them against elderly women.
In the first instance he threatened to sue an outspoken constituent who, at a public meeting in November 2008, said she would not be voting for Gray.
This was followed in December by a legal threat against a Labor member, from whom he demanded $10,000 and an apology, for criticising him in an internal party report.
On this occasion, Douglas, running under the banner of the newly formed Liberal National Party, narrowly emerged as the victor.
[3] Following his defeat, Gray angrily slammed what he perceived as negative and "biased" coverage of him by the Gold Coast Bulletin.