States are certainly the worst structure of Government, except for the alternatives. Centralisation is the bane of good government, you get professional pollie types and parasites congregating in a like minded pool, the noise of which drowns out all reality. At least States offer a counter balance to the fads and fashions of those who would rule (and really know what is good for you). Much the same as the Barons at Runnymede.

One of the great proofs in life is that ANY monopoly, including one of power, is an abuse.

Also Australia does have a geography where urban centres are surrounded by vast hinterlands (and the Tweed in not disproof).

The worst outcome for Australia is for Australia to incorporate poverty stricken, third world island states into the Commonwealth of Australia. It would mean that people from these islands would have an absolute right to immigrate into Australia and that the Australian taxpayer would have an obligation to support these povety stricken states.

Australia is already giving Indonesia around $500 million dollars a year so that the Indos can spit in our faces and cause social problems ion Austalia by flooding Australia with country shopping illegal immigrants. We give another 200 million p.a. to Vanuatu, 500 million p.a. to PNG, and another 200 million to East Timor. We can't afford any more generosity.

In addition, Pacific Islander people are noted in Australia for their very high rates of violent criminal behaviour, welfare dependency and obesity. As a general rule, people from this particular ethnicity make poor citizens and will probably be a burden on our society forever. It is not in our interests for this problem to grow in our society through unrestricted immigration.

One presumes that the author is just another humanitarian who wants the European countries to always be our brother's keeper. Sorry mate. With European cpountries increasingly bankrupt from hordes of often imported welfare recipients us productive people are saying that enough is enough.

It is funny how this author presents his case as being of economic benefit to Australia. Sure it is. His article is a Trojan Horse for his fundamentalist humanitarian agenda.

Heck, why be concerned about convincing voters of the need for a union with the south Pacific? All you have to do is sneak it in the backdoor under the guise of our climate responsibilities. Remember that multi-billion dollar campaign that was telling us CO2 was responsible for all the woes of the developing world --well it's having the intended affect.

We are beginning to see claims for asylum based on climate changes (see below). My guess is that if it doesn't get through this round it will only be a matter of time before some activist judges run with it--we have a lot to thank the AGW lobby for, ay!

"WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A man from one of the lowest-lying nations on Earth is trying to convince New Zealand judges that he's a refugee — suffering not from persecution, but from climate change.The 37-year-old and his wife left his remote atoll in the Pacific nation of Kiribati six years ago for higher ground and better prospects in New Zealand, where their three children were born. Immigration authorities have twice rejected his argument that rising sea levels make it too dangerous for him and his family to return to Kiribati.So on Oct. 16, the man's lawyer, Michael Kidd, plans to argue the case before New Zealand's High Court. Kidd, who specializes in human rights cases, told The Associated Press he will appeal the case all the way to the country's Supreme Court if necessary."
http://news.yahoo.com/climate-refugee-fighting-stay-zealand-081320424.html

This idea has some merit, and would serve to keep these states from falling into the hands of nations like communist china, or an expansionist Russia.
Or, as failed nation states, Islamic extremists!
These tiny nations have little or no industry, but with our modest help, and the odd cheaper than coal thorium reactor, could be set up to manufacture all our textiles and footwear, utilizing locally available raw materials, in an expanded two way trade.
A fish farm the size of Eagle Farm's runway, i.e., would generate as much income as 10,000 acres of sustenance grazing, and a even more modest fodder factory, will produce as much animal graze, as thirty acres of farmland!
This two way trade would also have a much smaller carbon footprint than what is current!
Jobs and education will limit criminality, to the median Australian average or below.
Traditional diets, will limit obesity, a problem which seems to accompany western style diets and sugary drinks?
More gardens, breadfruit, paw paw, mangoes, kumra and yams?
However, before we start seriously inculcating these ideas, we need to roll out a number of free trade agreements within our region. China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan and Korea, for starters.
We may be a rich and well resourced nation, but the way we are running up debt, it may be argued, we are cash poor.
Before we can be of much use to our much smaller neighbors, this situation needs to be addressed, preferably, by selling more to the rest of the world, than we currently buy from it!
And for that outcome to fully manifest, we need to once again supply cheap energy, low cost venture capital and impose very low taxes!
All very doable!
Rhrosty.

Everald,

An excellent idea that should be receiving wider discussion.

The Regions idea would be an acceptable way to go whilst giving a greater and more equal democracy to us all .

As not in Tasmania v NSW each with 12 Senators but NSW has 10 times the number of Electors.

The argument that we would be 'flooded' with economic Island Refugees is rubbish.

We would all be one People and the 'flood' would work both ways and should quickly be evened out in People and Prosperity for all.

The greatest Rugby Team on Earth.. Yes... but why bother with the others . Think of the REGIONAL Competition 5x Aust,5 x NZ plus Samoa, Tonga ,Fiji and one from Vanuatu when they eventually part ways with France !

Nice to see the trolls have not disappointed....
Regional governments sound great for people who live in the east coast capital cities and for no one else. Pacifica the country has merit it is going to be too hard to come up with a solution to the east coast problem Australia has. Australian politics is dominated by the concerns of the people who choose to live in the feed lots that are the western suburbs of our East coast capital cities.

If the senate actual function how it was supposed to then the idea would have more legs.

" Nor would ratbag parties ever again be able to get a Senate seat by a fluke of preferences."

I would be "In like Flynn" with this idea, if we could guarantee the ALP and LNP were kept out, as you suggest.

"Centralisation is the bane of good government"

Agreed, so you REDUCE the power of the Feds, move to stronger regional powers, the Swiss Canton model springs to mind.

"The worst outcome for Australia is for Australia to incorporate poverty stricken, third world island states into the Commonwealth of Australia"

In this case they would all be "Australian". Are you saying you don't care for poor "Australians" ? Maybe we should shoot them ? Soylet Green ! or here's a kooky idea, treat all humans decently. I know, weird concept for many people to come to grips with.

"we have a lot to thank the AGW lobby for, ay!"

Of course you could place the blame where it truly lies, with the those emitting CO2e causing the problem. Who are these emitters ? Well look in the mirror. 80% of the worlds CO2e is emitted by the richest 1 Billion, that is people like us, either directly, driving around in cars etc or indirectly by buying gee gaws from China etal.

Everything else aside, I think it's a great idea, one I have also advocated for some time, thus it will get no traction.

There will not be any common wealth unless we the people once again have the power to create money to equal increases in productivity + inflation.

We sold off the Commonwealth bank and 4 state banks since 1980 and debt to OS banks now consumes us via increased taxes and house prices.

The power of money creation should belong to the people.

Surely this essay is a joke ... isn't it? I mean ... Prince Harry for President of Pacifica? Gimme a break!

But, assuming it's not a joke, a Pacific 'nation' would never happen. If there really is such a groundswell movement forming, a Pacific republic is not the real endgame. What the architects of this vision really want is to soften up public opinion in order to attain the much more achievable goal of a European Union of the South Pacific.

The original vision of the EU - the one that was sold to the average European chump on the street - was that a bunch of states with vastly different economic structures, currencies, philosophies, histories and political systems could all get together and find a big, happy common ground. What has evolved is the economic enslavement of much of the European population by a cabal of corporations centred on Berlin and defended by a military protection racket called NATO.

A South-Pacific nation called Oceania ... I mean, Pacifica ... is just a blueprint to achieve much the same ends.

What has Everald been imbibing to dream up such fanciful proposals?

The Coalition Government already is struggling to make any impression on our ongoing Budget deficits, without taking on supporting scores of South Sea Island nations in perpetuity.

Once upon a time, I would have supported the "efficiency" of such a union.

Then I woke up and realised White people and their distinctive characters and cultures are being *eradicated* by just such pancultural/paneconomic agendas.

If we make an agreement with New Zealand, it should be that only White Kiwis can migrate to Australia, and only non-White Australians can migrate to NZ.
Let's do a swap.

New Zealand can then try to be the paradise promised by the Multopians.
And promptly disintegrate in poverty and crime.
The charred ruins a lesson for future generations.

Meanwhile, Australia will go up a notch or two on all the top ten lists we're not already #1 on.

How many people have been out there, & seen what a wasteland these places become, once the white district officer, & the last white plantation owner/manager leave? Damn few, or this idea would be getting shot down much more heavily.

When you have seen what they can do to a brand new bulldozer in just a few weeks, you know we don't need to be in any association with them.

The racist are out in force again. Two things come to mind...
How quickly they scurry from under their rocks to hurle their vomit.
How universaly talentless the average racist is. They spend much effort touting the skills apprently exclusive to whites, but general don't have them themselves.

Sun Tzu: "Let your opponent assume you are dumb and drunk. Your victory is assured."