How soon is ‘soon’?

There were many gems buried in the transcripts from Monday’s grilling by the Senate Estimates Committee of Stephen Conroy. But nothing could match his attempts to define what the word “soon” means.

It came as he attempted to avoid answering questions over delays in the government’s long-awaited review of TV sport’s so called anti-siphoning list, which defines which events cannot be sold to subscription television.  

Senator Mathias Cormann: “You have been telling people for a couple of months now that the new regime, following the review, will be announced in a few weeks; and now you say ‘soon’. But, essentially, ‘soon’ is not going to be any time soon, is it? How soon is ‘soon’?

Senator Conroy—I am happy to put it in writing so that you have the word ‘soon’ as gospel.