Loose cannons

Indonesians under the bed

The Australian Candidate Study (conducted by academics at the ANU, UNSW and UQ), which surveyed 435 Coalition, Labor, Democrat and Green candidates in the last federal election (including 105 who now have seats in federal parliament), found that more than 76% of Coalition candidates believe that Indonesia poses "a threat to Australia's security".

But not in surveys

The same survey found that 92% of Coalition respondents and 84% of Labor Party respondents believe that "it is important for federal politicians to tell the truth" .

Flawless

"Those who criticise [US President Bill Clinton] for selling out misunderstand US politics ... [there] the only thing you get to decide, if you are good enough, is when to sell out. Viewed from this perspective, Clinton has been a flawless US presidential political operator ..." — Peter Botsman in the November 7 Australian.

Failing marks

"They acted like little kids shouting out rude comments." "Childish put-downs, humiliating." "Some at the back were sleeping." — Comments on what they saw by high school students who visited the NSW Legislative Assembly, as reported in the November 7 Sydney Morning Herald.

Significance

"A significant level of community concern" — Minister for communications Senator Richard Alston in an October 22 letter pressing the ABC to delay or abandon its broadcast of the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. He had received 60 complaints — approximately 9 million fewer than the number of Australians which polls show to be opposed to the privatisation of Telstra.

Sacrifice

"He demonstrated a willingness to make a sacrifice in the public interest." — Prime Menzies John Howard, justifying his decision to allow Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet head Max Moore-Wilton to keep two additional part-time positions with the Kennett government (chairing the Public Transport Corporation and the state-owned Southern Hydro) which bump his total salary up to $230,000, plus perks.

From GLW issue 254