Daily London
Kiwi pollster and political commentator David Farrar re-ignited the longstanding discussion and said it was high time New Zealand took up the 125-year-old invitation to become part of Australia.
He said NZ needs to be “bigger to survive” and floated the idea of the country of 5.2 million people becoming an Australian colony.
“Joining Australia will protect New Zealand, enhance Australia and benefit us all,” Farrar wrote.
“The rules-based order is gone, and is not returning,” Farrar added.
Should New Zealand become an Australian state?
“We are in an era where countries with might will do what they see as right for them.”
Farrar’s suggestion is not far-fetched – Australia’s constitution actually states that New Zealand may be admitted into Australia as a state.
The Commonwealth colony of NZ also participated in early Federation conferences before it was deemed an independent state.
There is also a reciprocal agreement which allows NZ residents to visit, live and work in Australia without a tourist or work visa, and vice versa.
However, it appears many Kiwi residents aren’t chuffed with the idea.
The opinion piece quickly triggered similar articles arguing against New Zealand becoming an Australian state.
“If independence is to end, it will end because it has become impossible to sustain, not because a cost-benefit analysis shows we might do better as someone else’s state,” he wrote.
“Until then, the task is not to redesign ourselves, but to do our very best to adapt and thrive giving up as little about ourselves as possible.”
Another piece from The Post noted that any desire from New Zealand to join Australia would likely be “unrequited”.
NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon immediately ruled out the idea of abandoning sovereignty.
“This won’t be happening,” a spokesperson from his office told The Post.
“New Zealand values our close relationship with Australia, but we also value our unique national identity and our sovereignty.”
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