United NZ & Oz?

[Hitcher]

The Confederation of Helvetia (Switzerland) is not part of the EU.

[Skyryder]

Won't happen. There may be trade, financial deals etc. but New Zealanders will never give up their independence. As for the political differences Australians are required by law to vote. We are not. That's just one off the top of my head. There are many in NZ who feel that Wellington is 'too' far away let alone Cambera and the ACT. Besides..............why would Australia want us?? I can see no benifit in any shape or form.

Skyryder

[Biff]

Which European Union member states have dual currencies?

Legal tender? Then only Lichtenstein. Swiss Francs and Euros. With the Swiss Franc being the 'official' currency.

[parsley]

I'm sick to death of the PC Greeny Nanny State bullshit we have to put up with.

You've never lived in Australia then. I lived there before moving to NZ and I was amazed at how bureaucratic it is there.

[kro]

Maybe I didn't make myself clear the first time.
http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/as01000_.html

Read section six, yes it is referring to the commonwealth of Australia, but this is not the " commonwealth" we know as including UK, Aus NZ etc etc.

According to Australia, we have been a state of Oz since the constitution was drafted in the early 1900's, NZ simply has not ratified its validity as yet, thus retaining our independence from them.

[Jackrat]

The United States of Australia or USA for short,sounds good to me.
I'm sure Helen will enjoy being prime minister of Australia as well.
Hey a win win situation really.
Choise bro,,,,,aye Dave

[SPORK]

Not if I can fucking help it.

[Hitcher]

Legal tender? Then only Lichtenstein. Swiss Francs and Euros. With the Swiss Franc being the 'official' currency.

You've only forgotten Sterling and the Swedish Krona. But I suppose they're not really major currencies in the grander scheme of things...

[geoffm]

Won't happen. What is in it for Australia that they can't aready have for nothiing now?
G

[kro]

Won't happen. What is in it for Australia that they can't aready have for nothiing now?
G

Chaste women?, virgin sheep?.

Personally, the whole idea blows chunks, and that Aussie PM seems to live up Bush's bottom, and only comes out when Bush shits in someones front yard. Silly man needs to have some balls like our PM, and do what any sane country would, and stop rewarding Bush's bratty behaviour with attention, and ignore the whole damn regime.

[myvice]

Hmmm, na.
I was born a Kiwi and will remain one!
I don’t like the idea of having our central government in another country either, we get ignored now, but to have them another 8 hours away would make me even more cynical!
The political system is a lot more bureaucratic and self serving than our one too, with the state governments, local councils and then the federal government all with there ores in the mix nothing gets done and it takes a long time to do it!
Would our cops start carrying guns? Would our laws be changed? Would our education system have Australian history taught? Would the Maori’s stand a chance against what seems to be a raciest and impartial government? Would our taxes go into a new highway from Broom to Darwin?
Its one thing to have a slightly stronger dollar but how many times would you hear “Sorry that has to come through Australia…” Remember they have very different import laws than us, and many things we take for granted now would cease to exist in a short time. Brought a cheep Jap car/bike/TV lately?
And our exports? Where would our wool stand if it has to go through an Aussi middleman?
As nice and empathic as the Americans have proved themselves to be I don’t want to be in too tight with them. And when the Ausies marched due to the war and where dismissed as hippies or troublemakers how much notice would be taken of us?
Hmmm, no sir I don’t like it, I don’t like it one bit.

[Big Dave]

A common currency would be worthwhile.

There are 2 reasons against a common government;

1. John
2. Howard.

Carnt!

[Big Dave]

Won't happen. What is in it for Australia that they can't aready have for nothiing now?
G

A 20% bigger economy?
I'm a patriotic Aussie - even my tattoos are 'nationalist' - but I don't think NZ should ever entertain common govt.
Aussie foreign policy completely sucks, that tax and GST system is a shambles and there is an entire extra layer of state government to deal with. Not to mention having to insert your nose up GWB's arse.

NZ should adopt the Aussie model of health funding (the medicare levy), it's model for the institute of sport and continue going to the Gold Coast for holidays. Apart from that forget it. The rest works better here already.

[Winston001]

Economic union - yes. Political union - no. We don't need to abandon our sovereignty. The EU, bureaucratic though it is, shows that a union can be economic without the individual countries losing their identity.

The international trend, driven by global business is for harmonisation of laws. Free trade arrangements such as NAFTA are an example.

Currency is also under the same pressure with the $US being the default. All of this can happen without each country surrendering their political independance.

[Hitcher]

Political union with Australia raises similar issues to us becoming a republic. Notably the Treaty of Waitangi...