Loose cannons

Some of his best friends

"I enjoy an excellent relationship with the Aboriginal community throughout my electorate, and I am currently a patron of the Aboriginal Sports Centre at Condobolin." — Ian Armstrong, new National Party leader in NSW, trying to explain away a 1988 statement he made at a gun rally: "We've got to get rid of crime, drugs, hoons and coons."

Statistics

"Using a new method of measurement, the Washington-based IMF has found that China's economy is more than four times larger than previously thought." — Sydney Morning Herald, May 21.

Like everybody else

"I mean, the president has to get his hair cut like everybody else has to get their hair cut." — A spokesperson for US President Bill Clinton after Los Angeles International Airport flights were held up for 56 minutes because Clinton was having his hair cut in the presidential airplane.

Obviously

"We have abandoned the GST and that obviously means we will have to rethink how we can reform the indirect sales tax system to relieve investors of the burden of taxes on their inputs." — Shadow treasurer Alexander Downer, apparently hoping to find a new and attractive name for a GST.

No hurry

"At present it is premature on many grounds. Many people have a devotion to the past way of life ... We are far from being ready, and it will take longer than any of us believe." — Businessman Sir Peter Abeles on Australia becoming a republic.

From GLW issue 101