Loose cannons

Issue 

No conclusions

"No conclusions should be drawn from the fact that a ticket cannot be drawn from one machine while it's still in the testing phase." — Sydney CityRail spokesperson after a new automatic ticketing machine being demonstrated refused all efforts to make it issue a ticket.

Mutual interests

"We have mutual interests and mutual responsibilities — in the economy and in society. I am saying that we should work together for economic and social ends." — Paul Keating to a meeting of company directors.

Another decade for Labor

"I'm back and I'm here for the long haul and I'm going to maintain the fight to the government." — John Hewson.

Relieved

"Espionage preceded the Cold War by at least six millennia and, I suspect, will last long after it." — ASIO head David Sadleir, still with a job despite the disappearance of the "Soviet threat".

Full understanding

"I don't know if those public servants fully understand the reason why Mr Halfpenny called this strike on the fifth of May. May the fifth is Karl Marx's birthday." — Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, commenting on the planned public sector unions rally.

Anywhere except Australia

"I am up, I have dusted myself off, and I'm very pleased on where I'm going." — Failed entrepreneur Christopher Skase, currently resident in Majorca.

Election's over

"Paul Keating now warmly supports major parts of a policy which only six weeks ago he said was draconian, unfair, divisive and likely to return Australia to the 19th century." — Federal Liberal industrial relations spokesperson John Howard on the prime minister's comments concerning enterprise bargaining.

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