Loose cannons

High-minded

"Warwick revenged his father by taking over Fairfax. Murdoch got revenge by taking over the Herald and Weekly Times. If the Black[-Packer] consortium wins control of Fairfax, there will be an element of revenge for Packer, whose family has been at war with the Fairfaxes for generations." — Trevor Sykes, one of Packer's stable of editors.

Free market

"Australia will lose $100 million in meat exports to the United States after the Federal Government, under US pressure, reluctantly decided to restrain sales for the remainder of 1991." — Sydney Morning Herald, September 26.

Career with a future

"The body which sets the [NSW] school curriculum is examining a ... proposal that some secondary students should be taught about corruption." — Sydney Morning Herald, September 26.

PM material

"I am a simple fellow. You have hurt me and I will hurt you. You can count on it." — Paul Keating, complaining to journalist Bruce Jones about a story.

Friends in blue

"It was a cult. You were doing a community service ... it was all done in the interests of truth, justice and keeping things on an even keel and keeping crims under control." — Sydney ex-detective Roger Rogerson, explaining why New South Wales' finest frame people.

Unclear family

"The left and right [of the ALP] are one big happy family in NSW." — Paul Keating.

From GLW issue 30