Maths lesson
“Twenty per cent loading for women means nothing when Labor thugs follow zero per cent of the rules.” -- Susie Carleton, defeated in a NSW ALP preselection ballot after the party's credentials committee excluded 36 votes from a branch which strongly supported her.
Until we decide to
“The policy is clear and absolute and will not be changed.” -- Minister for resources Nick Minchin, denying the implications of a video by US-based Pangea Resources which identifies Australia as the location for a radioactive waste dump.
The unforgivable crime
“They didn't cheat or rob anybody. They simply borrowed foreign money which they invested wrongly.” -- Lee Kuan Yew, former prime minister of Singapore, on Asian leaders and the economic crisis.
Proper
“If the case goes against Heather [Hill], then clearly ... it would be improper for me not to abide by the High Court ruling.” -- One Nation Queensland candidate Len Harris, who will become a senator if Hill is disqualified, denying reports that he would resign to allow Hill to be reappointed.
Ask the Victorian police
“I think what we first ought to be doing is urging the Indonesian military to get some mechanism of crowd control without shooting people.” -- Labor leader Kim Beazley.
Target practice, for instance
“We can walk away from our relations with the Indonesian military at a time of change or cooperate with them on matters such as training.” -- Minister for defence John Moore.
Didn't burn the evidence
“Many of us, as we look back on it, feel that there were many serious mistakes made.” -- US secretary of state Madeleine Albright on support for dictators in Latin America in the 1970s and '80s.
Next try in 13 months?
“This has been a once-in-a-century opportunity to reform the tax system.” -- Treasurer Peter Costello, introducing the GST bills into parliament.
