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The Forum > Article Comments > The Republic of Australia and New Zealand? > Comments

The Republic of Australia and New Zealand? : Comments

By Rodney Crisp, published 15/9/2009

Australians and New Zealanders have a vested interest in each other’s decisions. Our fates are inextricably entwined.

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Union with NZ is an issue way off the agenda but if Rudd was willing to hold a Blanchettprop 2020 Conference then Union appears to be a much more sensible and substantial concept.

The author has a firm and found grasp of A-NZ in history and also the present. He avoids trite, superficial, banalities about our slightly differing cultures.

He makes some reasonable predictions/projections of a future union of our two countries.

If NZ were to be more heavily represented in an A-NZ Senate by having 9 to 12 Senators (not the usual 6 in Aus States) then Kiwis may be more likely to accept union.

Pete
(married to a Kiwi)
Posted by plantagenet, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 10:42:02 AM
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No thank you.

Aren't there all ready more of them over here, than over there?

Talk about yankee go home. [Smile, if I knew how]
Posted by Hasbeen, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 10:54:30 AM
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New Zealanders would expect to form four states and two territories (one for each crucket team). They would also expect continuing improvements to Austrayeleeean accents.

More seriously, they would require substantial changes to the Australian constitution, and the passage of a bill of rights. (They would not accept detention without trial, nor the use of secret evidence in trials, nor the extension of judicially determined sentences by new legislation.) They would expect fairer treatment of refugees.

They would probably require a new treaty be signed with Maori and with Indigenous Australians, that is acceptable to both groups.
Posted by ozbib, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 4:59:47 PM
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plantagenet,

Please stay in the real world. All Australian states have 12 senators in parliament, not 6.

That said, it is impossible for NZ to ever join the federation, as the kiwis would want to retain their identity. As the first failed state (from 1901), they did us the enormous favour of relieving us from the need to to deal with the maori problem, and as for their currency, what can I say?

Anyone in favour of union would first have to get past the chicken desk at Auckland airport.

(translation: for those not used to the strange speech on the other side of the Tasman, for chicken desk read check-in desk)
Posted by plerdsus, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 7:55:02 PM
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Unbelievable pettiness. What a fantastic opportunity for Australians and New Zealanders alike, yet I read parochial quips about the Kiwi accent.
Posted by Fester, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 8:15:04 PM
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Ozbib is correct and I acknowledge what a lucky dude Pete is.

I agree with Fester.

Shuddup Hasbeen.[smile]

What exactly can Aussie offer NZ? Are the penguins planning an invasion or something?
Posted by The Pied Piper, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 9:38:09 PM
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sorry plerdsuss

My wife's meths was somewhat incorricked.

And I got the sheep to get in ;)

Pit
Posted by plantagenet, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 10:30:01 PM
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I would laugh at the comments about langauge except they seem serious underneath, which is kind of shocking.

Ever heard of the European Union? That supranational body boasts 23 official and working langauges among many more unoffical ones. The EU is the most successful example of integration there is.

While I don't see it happening any time soon, (mainly for the political differences of opinion) it was an interesting read.

The only bit that got me was one of those last sentences about 'the happy protection we have without which we'd be in much trouble'. While we might enjoy the LoOsE alliance, it doesnt simply guarantee that we're protected, nor should we be so pessimistic as to think we should be attacked by a state. That would be why NZ explicitly opposed the nuke-sub, they're optimistic about peace.
Posted by mw981, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 3:36:09 AM
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[A union with Shibangabang? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx_kxp3R2oU ]

It’s a big NO from me –and don’t bother auditioning again next year!

Pete ‘married to a kiwi’ –commiserations!
Posted by Horus, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 6:53:23 AM
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I knew I'd get in trouble if I made a joke. For what it's worth, I joked about Australian accents as well as those of NZ--something I would not do if my own speech were not influenced by both. (Australians who joke about NZ accents seem to be blissfully unaware of how their own speech sounds to non-Australians.)

My chief point, however, remains. There are substantial differences between the two countries over a range of very important matters, which would have to be sorted out before unification could be acceptable to New Zealanders.
Posted by ozbib, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 9:50:42 AM
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No No No, you can't trust them.

Ozbib is quite right.

A while back, I & a couple of mates, turned up at an up market Melbourne motel, one evening.

The receptionist, a Kiwi lass, told me she would give me room sex, & then put my mates in rooms seven, & eight.

It's just as well I didn't wait up for her, she never turned up.
Posted by Hasbeen, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:26:20 AM
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