Loose cannons

Issue 

Phew!

"I don't think you'd find, after 13 years' experience in government, that the Labor Party intends to produce soviet Australia." — ALP leader Kim Beazley, arguing that it isn't really necessary to remove the word "socialism" from the party's program.

One for each finger?

"We must ... agree at our October conference to a new and succinct statement of our objectives — 10 points which crystallise our beliefs." — Victorian ALP leader John Brumby, advocating a revision of the state party's current 23 objectives.

Resentful

"[Social] unrest appears to reflect resentment of corruption at all levels of government, nepotism in politics and the continued flow of economic benefits to the economic and political elite by virtue of special treatment by the government." — Report on Indonesia prepared by the Asia Pacific Economic Group of the Australian National University.

Not much

"Just part of the wider approach of trying to distract from the budget, which doesn't deliver anything to business." — Democrats leader Senator Cheryl Kernot on government threats of a double-dissolution of parliament.

Free translation

"A Bible for bikies in which Christ's blood is compared with the oil in a motorcycle will be released by Britain's Bible Society later this month." — Sydney Morning Herald, May 20.

Principled

"One union right-wing source said yesterday that it was better for Labor to sell off the electricity system and use funds to help the party's re-election than to allow a future Coalition government to have a free hand to do the same." — Sydney Morning Herald report on proposals by NSW treasurer Michael Egan to privatise the state's electricity system.

Earned a holiday?

"A Budapest restaurant which charged two Danish tourists and two women companions more than US$6000 for dinner and drinks was closed for three months by local authorities yesterday." — Sydney Morning Herald, May 22.

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