Loose cannons

Thrill seekers

Following claims that Colgate-Palmolive products in several supermarkets had been laced with cyanide, public affairs manager Geoff Walsh said the company "had received many supportive calls from brand users who pledged to continue using its products". — Australian, August 17-18.

Just what we need

"I'd be soft compared to what John would be if he got in there. He could be the new saviour ... with a bit of help and guidance from me." — Joh Bjelke-Petersen on his son entering politics.

Payment on results

Lord King, chair of British Airways, recently announced that the airline would no longer donate to British Conservative Party funds. In 1990 the airline contributed £40,000, making a total of £180,000 since the company was privatised in 1987. King said he couldn't justify the donation when staff were being asked to make sacrifices and profits had slumped.

Mercy

"The British government made arrangements for the evacuation of approximately 1800 people from Kuwait and Iraq — the total cost was £746,000 ... The purpose of my letter is to invite your company to contribute to the cost of the evacuation — in the interests of fairness it would be right for us to ask employers to contribute a fixed sum." — Begging letter from Mark Lennox-Boyd, the minister responsible for mercy missions in the British Conservative government. The government wanted £415 from each company employing an evacuee.

Culture

"Look at the budget. There is an unmistakable message about self-reliance, about looking to your family first — not the state ... I suppose some New Zealanders caught in welfarism for a long time could interpret that as negative. But in fact that is the most positive transformation individuals can undertake. It's a culture, the enterprise culture." — New Zealand treasurer Ruth Richardson.

From GLW issue 24