Difficult
"To convince the international community that equity requires us to be treated somewhat differently is a difficult negotiating task." — Environment minister Senator Robert Hill, looking forward to the international greenhouse conference, at which the Australian government will argue that greenhouse gas reduction is the responsibility of other countries.
America on the move
"We are also a European country and a European power and we are determined to stay here." — US State Department spokesperson Nicholas Burns, reminding NATO allies just who is still boss.
We'll send you an offer
"If you are a crook, don't bother applying for a job in the NSW police service." — State police minister Paul Whelan, after revealing that more than 200 serving police in NSW have serious criminal convictions.
Watch out for the otherwisers
"The government and the police minister have made it very, very clear they are going to give me quite additional powers to deal with officers who lose the confidence of the commissioner or who are found to be acting corruptly or otherwise." — Peter Ryan, newly appointed NSW police commissioner.
Very predictable
"My employees in the main parties may be lazy and self-seeking. They may vote themselves unjustified golden handshakes and super schemes. They may do all sorts of reprehensible things. But at least they are predictable." — Journalist Frank Haden, discussing the pros and cons of the new mixed-member proportional voting system in New Zealand (Sunday Star Times, May 26).
The grassroots speak
"Since Tim Fischer got in there, he has followed John Howard around like a brown nose and he's stopped listening to the grassroots of the party." — The chairperson of the Tenterfield, NSW, branch of the National Party, on his federal leader.