Loose cannons

Unless it's private health insurance funds

"Well we're not in the business of bailing out commercial enterprises... I can assure you that that won't be happening." — Prime Menzies John Howard, speaking to 3AW's Neil Mitchell on August 2, in response to the suggestion that the government bail-out the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which is facing bankruptcy with debts of more than $400,000.

Wouldn't we all!

"We'd like to see a regime that decided it didn't need to invade its neighbours." — US secretary for invading other countries Donald Rumsfeld, August 8.

Perceptive

"A perceived lack of policy differentiation from our conservative opponents is next on the list of [members'] concerns [after factionalism and branch stacking]." — Report of the ALP national committee of review, prepared by Neville Wran and Bob Hawke.

Cadre party

"The party should promote outward looking, activist branches... One excellent example of this is the participation of some branches in Clean Up Australia Day." — Wran and Hawke again.

From Green Left Weekly, August 14, 2002.

Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

From GLW issue 504