Loose cannons

June 26, 1996
Issue 

Loose cannons

Efficiency

"An evacuation of small island nations threatened by rising sea levels might be more efficient than forcing industrialised countries to reduce emissions ... [said the] executive director of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Dr Brian Fisher ..." — The Australian, June 8.

Honour among ...

"The prior system of providing files to the White House relied on good faith and honour. Unfortunately, the FBI and I were victimised." — FBI director Louis Freeh, after it was revealed that assistants to US President Bill Clinton improperly obtained FBI files on employees of previous Republican administrations.

Stop press

"Yeltsin's record ... particularly his media manipulation in this [election] campaign, shows anti-Communism is not the same as democracy." — Jonathan Steele in the Sydney Morning Herald, June 19.

Market rules OK

"Deregulation has worked exactly the opposite to the projections of the politicians, economists and statisticians who propounded its virtues. We are in enormous trouble." — Brad Williams, executive officer of NSW Farmers, on the state's egg industry. Since deregulation in 1989, the number of NSW egg farmers has been reduced from 300 to 160.

Slow-learning chooks

"A fundamental problem for [egg] producers is that they must move their product each day ... The hens cannot be turned off. We are at the mercy of the market." — Tamworth egg farmer Warwick Schofield, on disposing of his 20,000 dozen eggs a week operation.

Thanks, taxpayers

"It would be the best present I could have." — SA transport minister Diana Laidlaw, on moving forward the opening of the $112 million Southern Expressway by one day to coincide with her birthday.

Ecumenical

"Satan is at work in all realms of society and working to oppose God's truth. I believe Satan even works through figures in the church." — Sydney Anglican cleric, the Reverend Dr David Peterson.

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