Loose cannons

Ranting I

"Globalisation describes what is happening. And ranting against globalisation is like ranting against the telephone. You can use the telephone for good or for ill. So too the wider process (of which the telephone is part) can be a force for good or ill." — Federal Treasurer Peter Costello.

Ranting II

"[The anti-globalisation movement] likes to protest against the meeting of any organisation that has world in its name — like the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum." — Costello, continuing his "analysis" of neo-liberal globalisation and its opponents.

Ranting III

"Some of these people are committed leftists. They are not against internationalism. They are against international markets for capital... Some are environmentalists who protest against globalisation and demand international agreement on global warming. They think global and act global and protest against globalisation." — Costello again.

Class warfare

"They are trying to shut down the motor industry, which is little short of industrial and economic treason." — Federal workplace relations minister Tony Abbott commenting on the strike by 350 workers employed by Sydney car parts company TriStar over securing employee entitlements.

From GLW issue 459