Loose cannons

No alternative

"You give answers to the best of your intent and belief at the time, and if circumstances change, well, sometimes you have no alternative but to change." — Prime Menzies John Howard, about his decision as federal treasurer to reverse the tax promises of the Liberals' 1977 election campaign.

No experts

"I've always thought this is a little unfair that you're supposed to be an absolute expert on how a new tax system will operate in two years' time." — Treasurer Peter Costello, on the tax package he designed.

Simple

"We haven't bought them — simply compensated them for their time." — Peter Abbott, head of production for Jana Wendt's Uncensored interviews, on the disclosure that some of the interviewees were paid.

We're relieved

"It wasn't money thrown at them; it was payroll tax relief." — NSW ALP minister Richard Face, on a $550,000 tax gift to a King Gee factory in the Hunter that has closed despite the government largesse.

Unread

"If people read [their insurance contracts], and most of us don't read them, then you'd see we're not covered for flood." — Mark Sheehan, spokesperson for the Insurance Council of Australia, after the Wollongong flooding.

He knows: he's tried

"You can't just thrust things down people's throats." — NSW treasurer Michael Egan, acknowledging that electricity privatisation is off the government's agenda until after the next election.

From GLW issue 330