saintfletcher,

I think one reason why the UK never lobbied for Australia's entry into the EU is that we never asked for it. A second reason could be that only about 30% of people in the UK think it was a good idea for them to join in the first place. As for Brits rejecting Australian culture, just look at how many of them love to watch Australian soaps and visit Australian beaches.

I have no desire to join the EU, in fact, because I don't want policy to be dictated by Brussels. What I would like to see is closer cooperation between countries that genuinely have something in common other than geography. The obvious choice for me would be some kind of arrangement between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom (CANZUK). We have a common history, common values, common culture, common institutions: far more than the EU member states have.

Australia and New Zealand already have virtually a single market and very close ministerial cooperation. Australian and UK ministers have agreed to an annual meeting to be called AUKMIN. Australian state premiers and Canadian provincial premiers are working towards a meeting in Adelaide next year, where they will discuss a range of development issues. Bring all these together - together with the enormous exchange of people that goes on between our countries -, and you have the basis for a very strong group based on real similarities.

In my previous posts I drew attention to the false impressions given to many people by the typical school world maps.

Did you see the news item on TV this week showing the range of a North Korean missile with 4700Km range ?
The idiot news people drew a circle around North Korea of 4700Km which covered to New Zealand.
The distance from Nth Korea to New Zealand is 10,366 Km !
The whole of Australia was covered by their incompetance.
Now all the people think Australia can be subject to Nth Korean missle threats.

It really does make you wonder about the rest of what they "inform" us about.

Baz

I see two common types of ecomomic union. The first is regional, driven by 'scales of economy' The US, the former USSR & now Europe are examples where a common currency is involved & I see the advantages as purely logistical. Common currency does not change companies & businesses - there is obviously a one-off cost, & then marginally reduced costs for those who trade across the borders involved. Stability of trading costs (through currency stability)is the main, ongoing benefit. There is similar benefit for the individual.
But all this is transitory - soon forgotten. Economics is simply a game of relativity, at different levels. The overall 'wealth' of a State, measured through purely economic means is rubbish.
Right now, people are understanding this. Even in the 'high capitalism' of modern Australia terms such as 'wellbeing' & 'life satisfaction' are becoming common in everyday communication. The church of economics is being questioned daily regarding its extremism & lack of humanity.
The second form of economic union is the 'free trade agreement', apparently an invention of the US & driven by multinational corporations. It is usually a parasitic connection between vastly different economies, for the benefit of the larger. Modern day colonialism, if you like. It should be questioned & denounced as much as the US administration itself.
But this economic thread of discussion relates minimally to Tony Henderson's article. Tony puts the point foward in his response above. Our 'position' in the region, & we do mean a geographic region (the boundary of the region is irrelevant), is being questioned by the way we handle & respond to international events, by how we 'relate' to our neighbours in times of difficulty & crisis, right now.
Australia is under pressure to grow & confront its dualistic relationship - between the english speaking West & between our neighbours, predominantly non-western, or english speaking.
I believe we (Oz) need to show more political independence from the Anglo West of the US & UK, at all levels. This would gain the respect of our neighbours & facilitate our greater political ties with the region.