Business
"Frankly, we are thinking of business. My position is that in a world in which people venerate hundreds of Madonnas, one more won't hurt." — The agnostic mayor of Civitavecchia in Italy, explaining his promotion of a Madonna statue which supporters claim sheds tears of blood.
Hindsight man
"With the benefit of hindsight, the original draining of Lake Pedder may have been unwise, but it is sheer lunacy to consider spending millions of dollars trying to restore something that can never be restored." — Tasmanian Labor leader Michael Field, writing in the Labor National Herald.
Articles we don't need to read
"Why investors are smiling" — Cover headline on April 24 Business Review Weekly.
Sack yourselves
"If we are to defend the public sector against the conservative agenda of privatisation, we need to see that there are changes and that we do achieve productivity — with the cooperation and consultation of the work force." — NSW Labor Premier Bob Carr in a speech to the state Labour Council.
Silence is golden
"Neither the previous government nor any other state government makes public any assistance package [to companies]." — NSW treasurer Michael Egan, refusing to disclose the size of a state government handout to the Foxtel pay TV consortium.
From whom?
"You don't do what I've done and not get some type of respect." — Alan Bond.