Loose cannons

All their own work

"One Nation is a creation of the Liberal government." — Former Liberal leader John Hewson.

Negative signals

"... many of the family and crony businesses have links with large foreign companies. The seizure of assets might send yet another negative signal to foreign investors ..." — David Jenkins in the Sydney Morning Herald, on the difficulties in confiscating the corruptly gained wealth of Indonesian crony capitalists.

Red signals

"On the rare occasions that [Suharto] leaves his house, his car must stop at red lights. Previously his presidential limousine sped through the streets under police escort." — Sydney Morning Herald, June 9, on the hardships in the former dictator's new life.

But we're working on it

"... the United States of America, despite all of its wealth and all of its might, cannot control every event, every place in the world ..." — President Clinton's media spokesperson, on the Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests.

Business?

"I have my country, I have a business, but if I don't have my country, what have I got?" — Sadruddin Hashwani, a Pakistani multimillionaire, being enthusiastic about (we think) the government's nuclear tests.

Not infallible after all?

"Today, we judged the market was overreacting, and we have intervened." — Reserve Bank governor Ian Macfarlane, explaining the bank's spending of up to $3 billion in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the slide of the dollar.

And do come again

"Looking back over the past four years, I would like to heartily say, 'Thank you'." — Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to Socialist Democratic Party leader Takako Doi, as the SDP withdrew from its coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

From GLW issue 321