Loose cannons

Lateral thinking

"I don't think anybody is saying that it's an easy thing to change, but there are certainly many people thinking laterally, thinking how we can actually rejig this, how can we actually get the money to be able to knock off the tolls." — NSW ALP deputy premier Andrew Refshauge, raising the idea that the state government might reverse course and decide to keep a promise which it had earlier decided to break.

In training

"It was not for me to make a judgment. They told me they needed the training hours." — Defence minister Ian McLachlan, after criticisms of an RAAF helicopter being sent to carry McLachlan's wife from her golf club to an Adelaide air show.

Ungrateful

"... union officials believe the Accord alienated many workers who could not appreciate benefits on wages and welfare measures that resulted from the Accord negotiations." — Sydney Morning Herald, March 21.

Served its purpose

"It may be that the Accord served its purpose at the time and may not have a role in the future." — Community and Public Sector Union national secretary Wendy Caird.

Only Victorians

"We will not entertain people from overseas in toilet blocks." — Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, responding to suggestions that $25,000 for a dining table in his office was a bit excessive.

Have mop, will travel

"[The Mir space station] will be taken care of in a more timely manner, because we know that women love to clean." — The deputy commander of Russia's cosmonaut centre, on the scheduled arrival of a female US astronaut on the station, quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald.

From GLW issue 225