Australia and the United Kingdom

[kingdomca]

whats the attitude of australians towards the UK

1. Awful terrible empire-building country representing the past. we should have as little to do with them as possible.

2. Its an ok country, but not different from any other and we should have no ties to them or symbolism of any kind as it sends ot the wrong message and will as such be an obstacle towards integration with asia.

3. Its just another european country.

4. Just another european country, but to be honest (and dont tell anyone, I said this) I do like them and I would trust them a bit more than others in a case of world crisis and it is one of our closest allies.

5. We are quite similar and share many fundamental values and it would be mutually beneficial for us as two closely allied independent states to actively increase our foreign policy and military coorporation.

6. Deep down we are all british.


I would guess 3 is the official line, though 2 and 4 might be widely held as well. I would like to see 5 though I know its not realistic.

Incidently, I am from neither country, but I have a lot of sympathy for both of them.

[Tony P]

I'd settle for 4 or 5, but still wish for Australia to become a republic. The fact is, as much of a pommy-bashing country we are, we love the Brits, we share their sense of humour, many of us travel and work in the UK (and they invade Bondi Beach in return), and even immigrants to Australia and their offspring (like myself), who don't have a single tie to the UK in any way, have adopted the mutual relationship of taking the piss out of each other, much like brothers or sisters do.

I'm not sure what you mean by the official line being 3 through. With our current Prime Minister, it's closer to 6 than anything. Even the Labor party who want a republic and often try to minimise the British influence in Australia, wouldn't stray below 4 in your scale.

[Aussie Bhoy]

I would go with somewhere between 4 and 5.

[spankymonkey]

I like the Aussies loads, its the best place to go on Holiday in the world. they have good TV, good humour like ourselves, and they can actually drink cause for a minute i was thinking us British were the only alcoholics.

The babes are hot also and so's the weather.

... BUT I LIKE OUR LITTLE RIVALRY, The scottish tend to think were thier rivals yet we dont really care about them same with you and New Zealand.

Plus, Neighbours rule!

P.S Whats happening in neighbours in OZ, what happning with Izzy and the baby of hers?

... also, I think your gonna get some beats in the Olympic pool this year and the ash's next year.

The old English boys just one thier 8th test in a row, and have gone 2-0 up against the West Indies with another 200 run win.

[James Saito]

Originally Posted by spankymonkey

Plus, Neighbours rule!

Ya jorking!!

[Kushantaiidan]

I'd go with option 1, with a slightly less obtrusive tone.. =)

Australia really has nothing to do with england, it has as much to do with england as the US does...

[Kushantaiidan]

I do appreciate many of the pro aussie atitudes that many brits have as oppossed to the general indifference many americans seem to exhibit, but our sense of humour is quite different I think, and it baffles me as to why we have so much crappy british tv on channels like ABC, reflecting the american crap we have on the commercial channels.. But then again, our native bred australian tv is not much to talk about either!!! Hmm.. I shouldn't be so negative, but oh well..

[jacobsian]

7. How can a country manage to suck at every single sport they invent?

[tayser]

Originally Posted by yob

7. How can a country manage to suck at every single sport they invent?

platinum.

[Aussie Bhoy]

Originally Posted by yob

7. How can a country manage to suck at every single sport they invent?

Well not all.

The main problem here is that a lot of city schools sports fields have been sold for development by the government. Poorer kids have nowhere to do sports. The climate in winter doesn't help either in getting kids participating in sport at a young age.

[Justme]

Originally Posted by Aussie Bhoy

Well not all.

The main problem here is that a lot of city schools sports fields have been sold for development by the government. Poorer kids have nowhere to do sports. The climate in winter doesn't help either in getting kids participating in sport at a young age.

I dunno. I agree with the first part, there needs to be a far bigger boost to sport at school level, and then at professional level, which Australia has (Australia's Institute of Sport has done amazing things to Australia's sporting achievments), and is lacking in Britain. But there are attempts of late to change this, Britain has been introducing similar efforts to the A.I.S, and it has shown recently.

But I doubt weather has anything to do with it. Britain is cold to you, because your from a hotter country, and not used to it. But for British people, this is normal, and kids have absolutely no worries about the cold. Afterall, New Zealand, a country with a similar climate to Britain, also is an excellent sporting nation. Germany has a far colder winter than Britain, and again, does pretty well in sports. And even the U.S. or Canada, both excellent sporting nations have may cold area's - I doubt all of the sports stars in the U.S. come from the sun belts.

And in opposite, Spain and Italy, are both sun drenched nations, but don't do better in sport than Germany.

4&5 would be my ideal and to become a Republic sooner rather than later.

[kingdomca]

Well I am slightly surprised at the positive voting.

Why are the british always accepting the idea that they are crap at sports??

Rugby: world champions
Cricket: ranked 2nd in the world
Football: Top 10 (Qualified for 9 out of the last 10 major championships usually reaching the knock-out stage)
Golf: perhaps 2nd? (dont really know much about it)
Tennis: ok not very good.

Its stark raving lunacy to consider the UK poor

Dont become a republic!
Its a terribly sad boring thing compared to a monarchy. If you want to ditch the british then start your own monarchy

maybe the fifth reason....I don't see any need to change......
I moved to London from OZ 4 years ago....we do share the same sense of humour as the British..one of the few other countries besides OZ that can laugh at themselves....the UK is fucking great...and so is Australia

[Kushantaiidan]

Originally Posted by kingdomca

Well I am slightly surprised at the positive voting.

Why are the british always accepting the idea that they are crap at sports??

Rugby: world champions
Cricket: ranked 2nd in the world
Football: Top 10 (Qualified for 9 out of the last 10 major championships usually reaching the knock-out stage)
Golf: perhaps 2nd? (dont really know much about it)
Tennis: ok not very good.

Its stark raving lunacy to consider the UK poor

Dont become a republic!
Its a terribly sad boring thing compared to a monarchy. If you want to ditch the british then start your own monarchy

Hmm.. I think i can manage that...

I am now KING KUSH!!! hoorj! Send me your taxes.. thx..

[kingdomca]

well, kush, I am not kidding, Norway did it that way when establishing a monarchy independent of the danish. They found some cousin of the danish king and asked him whether he fancied the job.

Several cities in Denmark have just held the biggest street parties in their history for the first visits of the newly-wed heir to the throne and his australian wife. all-day concerts and celebrations, pride in having such a great couple as our future king and queen giving everone a sense that all is well in the country.

Republicanism? how boring, spend a lot of money to elect some boring old ex-politician which a significant part of the people will dislike. No, move the head of state above politics and let him represent the whole country.

[Oriolus]

Surely no country today would actually choose to establish a monarchy. If it's a true monarchy then there is a absence of democracy and if there is an elected prime minister or president then the monarch is redundant. I mean can someone tell me what Queen Elizabeth actually does?

I have nothing against the British but I'll be voting for Mark Latham in the hope we can establish a system of government free of antiquated royal families that serve no purpose except providing fodder for woman's magazines

[NZer]

Totally agree with your whole post Oriolus.

I wish there would be a serious push for a republic here in NZ,but I get the impression New Zealand is waiting to see what happens with Aus.......?

[kingdomca]

Originally Posted by Oriolus

Surely no country today would actually choose to establish a monarchy. If it's a true monarchy then there is a absence of democracy and if there is an elected prime minister or president then the monarch is redundant. I mean can someone tell me what Queen Elizabeth actually does?

Well if a monarch is redundant, why would Australia have a president instead? Or would that not be the case?
He will supposedly take over doing nothing then.

You are of course perfectly entitled to have such negative views on other countries´ forms of government, just dont assume that its shared everywhere.

[NZer]

Does the Queen govern England ?