Quote of the day:

“Stop demonising the mining industry [that has] at least as great a love for this country and a care for its indigenous people as you will ever have.” — Fresh from a family holiday, Fortescue Metals chief executive Andrew Forrest yesterday took a swipe at Greens leader Bob Brown — who could well hold the balance of power in the Senate in the near future — urging him to get out of his “huge Parliament House office.”

He also slammed the “secret” and “sinister” mining tax compromise forged 21 days ago between the federal government and BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata, adding he was still waiting for a beer from Wayne Swan and “I am getting thirsty”.