Loose cannons

Vote for Last Chance

"This is now the last chance left to me." — Former Tasmanian premier Robin Gray, standing for Liberal preselection for the Senate after failing to gain preselection for the lower house seats of Braddon and Bass.

Someone's enjoying it

"Paul is a quintessential political man. He's been in parliament a very long time, but he is getting an enormous amount of pleasure and satisfaction out of the job." — Gareth Evans on Paul Keating.

Brilliant

"I think he is a brilliantly disguised man of destiny." — Bob Ellis, likely speech writer for NSW Premier Bob Carr, on his prospective boss.

Can't trust the voters

"Even though I think Australia should have a GST, I wouldn't have tried it from opposition. You've got to wait until you get into government and sell it there." — Liberal Senator Amanda Vanstone.

He speaks for the battlers

"I will take a cue from [ACTU president] Martin Ferguson on the superannuation employee contribution issue." — Australian Democrats leader Senator Cheryl Kernot.

True believer

"I believe in brass bands, statues and flags. I believe very much in authority. We mere mortals need things to look up to, benchmarks, values and standards." — NSW National Party leader Ian Armstrong, moved to poetry by the refusal of the newly elected speaker, Labor's John Murray, to wear a wig and gown.

From GLW issue 186