Loose cannons

Strict interpretation

“You'll notice that I never said she should resign”, Democrats Senator Andrew Murray told a July 30 press conference, a day after explaining that Natasha Stott Despoja's leadership of the party was “an insurmountable problem”.

Hot air is GST free

“The Democrats ensured that no sales tax would be levied on the necessities of life.” — Democrats founder Don Chipp.

Democrat

“When members want to keep balloting and balloting until they get the result they want, it can lead to chaos. Consider the case of tax reform, which showed how continuing calls for more democracy from some members within the Democrats can be destructive.” — Meg Lees, revealing why she didn't agree to a membership vote on the Coalition-Democrats GST deal (the “chaos” referred to is her sacking as leader).

Principled

“You have to understand that your principles are not the end of the road.” — Lees again, justifying her “compromise first” policy.

Blame it on M1, again

“In Stott Despoja's case [the Democrats' “crisis”] had something to do with the increasing violence and craziness of the anti-globalisation movement” — Imre Salusinsky, the Sydney Morning Herald's resident right-wing ranter, proves he really does have a one-track mind.

From Green Left Weekly, August 7, 2002.
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