30 quotes
After a very long year we've got a very short knight.
Source: Heinemann Dictionary of New Zealand Quotations (1988)
When asked, "So, what are you going to do with the rest of your life?": "I'm going to be a jockey."
On seeing a machine labelled "media steriliser", Lange quipped: "Have that sent to my office immediately."
My back is so scar-tissued that you couldn't find a place to slip a knife.
Source: A Dictionary of New Zealand Political Quotations (2000)
If the American global strategy is dependent on the ability of nuclear ships to come to New Zealand, then God defend the world.
Source: Heinemann Dictionary of New Zealand Quotations (1988)
An itinerant masseur, massaging the politically erogenous zones.
Source: Heinemann Dictionary of New Zealand Quotations (1988)
Greens are not expected to be anything but nice.
He's gone around the country stirring up apathy.
When asked, "Does God help you?": "He's not really in caucus lately."
"Will the United States pull the rug on New Zealand? The answer is no. They might polish the lino a bit harder and hope that I execute a rather unseemly glide across it."
Our military forces are an arm of government, just like the Department of Social Welfare, although probably less able to inflict widespread harm.
The statement which has been made by the Leader of the Opposition was that the intelligence has stopped. I don't know whether that was a personal confession or whether it was a statement of position.
He had more on his mind than his mind could hold.
They couldn't, in the National Party, run a bath and if either the deputy leader or the leader tried to, Sir Robert would run away with the plug.
"I've got two shirts still missing from the Bahamas. I'm sure they are part of a youth camping programme somewhere in Tanzania by now."
And I'm going to give it to you if you hold your breath just for a moment … I can smell the uranium on it as you lean towards me.
After that, whenever I drove past Mangakahia, I would empty my ashtray — and I was a heavy smoker in those days — on the road outside the hall.
What a friend we have in cheeses.
Source: New Zealand Wit & Wisdom (1998)
I wouldn't call the Prime Minister gutless. That's all that's left of him.
He viewed humour as a relaxing introduction to many situations. "It is, of course, completely inappropriate in some... but in the end, you know, if you were serious in this job you'd go mad."