Behind the people you see running the country, there is a powerful, faceless army of staffers, advisers and political analysts. 

They can win and lose an election. They can be responsible for the most excellent policies, and they can be responsible for the dirtiest of dirty tricks. 

For 14 years, Kos Samaras was one of those 'faceless' people, working as the deputy campaign director for Labor in Victoria. He's behind one of the most successful Labor elections in Australia - sweeping Dan Andrews into power in landslide election wins.

In this episode, Kos Samaras talks about the personal toll of politics, the power behind the policy and what the Australian public really cares about. 

Kos Samaras is now Director Strategy and Analytics at social research company RedBridge Group.