Loose cannons

Smart

"It's a fine sentiment, but a woolly one. It's an attempt to reduce unemployment solely at employers' expense." — Media commentator Ross Gittins arguing against a 36-hour work week (Age, April 12).

Aim, focus, fire!

"There'll be very significant further change. I don't think people throughout the organisation have a very clear focus on their purpose in life." — New defence department secretary Allan Hawke on fixing the government's loss of confidence in defence department advise after the East Timor crisis.

The Dark Side

"It [the Liberal Party convention] will demonstrate the Liberal Party does have a social agenda ... we do have this side, but we're not always our own best advocates." — Liberal Party president and author of the NT's mandatory sentencing legislation Shane Stone on his party's compassionate side.

The naked truth

"We were all getting more and more concerned that a few policies and the rhetoric of a few ministers were making us look like a mean and nasty pack of bastards." — An anonymous Liberal MP interviewed by the Financial Review during the Liberal Party's convention last weekend.

Never!

"Two of the major sponsors of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, McDonald's and Coca-Cola, are undermining the Environmental Guidelines for the world's first Green Games." — Greenpeace media release, April 6.

Jolly Roger

"A sense of humour will be a distinct advantage." — From a job advertisement seeking a lawyer to work in a major financial services company dealing with life insurance.

From GLW issue 402