Don't they all sell them?
"He's a rare commodity for the NSW right in that he actually trades in ideas." — NSW ALP assistant state secretary Damien O'Connor on Michael Costa, new secretary of the state Labour Council.
Off the rails
"My father insisted I become an engine driver so that I had a real job,. He still thinks I should get a real job." — Michael Costa.
Independent
"... all of the experts that I suggest be included in the Independent Working Party are known to us, as are their views." — Tobacco Institute of Australia CEO Donna Staunton, in a 1994 memo proposing an industry-funded study to counter a National Health and Medical Research Council report on passive smoking.
No doubt
"There's no doubt that contributing to that were some mistakes." — BHP chief operating officer Ron McNeilly, after the company reported a $1.5 billion loss for the year.
What kind?
"It's an attempt to put New York in a position where it can deal with the kinds of emergencies that might be unique to America's biggest city." — New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, defending his plan for a US$15 million "command post" on the 23rd floor of the World Trade Centre.
Stimulating
"If this helps stimulate [debate], I'm happy to do it." — Bob Hogg, former national secretary of the ALP, defending his role promoting tax "reform" (i.e., a GST) in an advertising campaign for the Business Council of Australia.
Broad church
"The view was we should not exclude anyone who wants to come on board and support the broad approach to reform." — Bob Hogg, explaining why the Business Council campaign will be conducted under the name "Australians for Fairer Tax".
We've always discriminated
"These delays have always existed." — A spokesperson for immigration minister Philip Ruddock, commenting on a study showing that applications for migrant visas are processed by Australian embassies in Europe and North America much more rapidly than in the Third World.