Toronto/Melbourne sister city proposal

Benefits:

-A second official point of relation in North America for Melbourne (we already have an established relationship with Boston).

-A Canadian sister city (I don't believe any major Australian city has one in Canada).

-Education related benefits are obviously exchange programs, or an increase of.

-Within the public sector there can be similar cross-placements/cultural exchange... I believe this currently happens between Melbourne and Boston/Milan.

cristobal_underscore said:

Well Canberra is partnered with Atlanta, what benefits have come out of that?

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Free coke?


Likewise I expect every Melburnian to possess the first season of Degrassi Jr. High-- as benefit of this partnership with Toronto. What can we provide in return?

Edward said:

btw. what's a Boston?

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Eureka! said:

I would like to see us have a better relationship with Canada, both countries having similarities. I don't, however want Melbourne to have 50000 sister cities. It needs to stay kinda exclusive

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The feeling is mutual. It's absurd how few ties we have to Australia considering how much we have in common. There is actually a massive amount of collaboration that goes on between our 2 countries, but the vast majority of it is invisible to the general public. There are countless government trips, business trade missions, and consultations on every issue imaginable. What is missing, is some cultural bond that the public can relate to.

The biggest disconnect has been in sports. We simply don't play the same sports. As trivial as this may sound, it goes a long way to keeping the other country off our radar screens. We play basketball, you play netball. We play baseball, you play cricket. We play Canadian football, you play Aussie rules. Hockey? To you guys, that is played on grass. We feel like we've landed on Mars at the Commonwealth Games. Are we supposed to be here?

Besides this one glaring difference, the 2 nations are remarkably the same. I'm always astonished when I look at Melbourne. The similarities to Toronto are so close it is bordering on the bizarre. I've heard countless people travel to Melbourne and come back saying they felt like they were in Toronto.

I've said it elsewhere, and I'll say it here. Besides Chicago, I can't think of a more obvious sister city for Toronto, than the great city of Melbourne.

Actually, the basketball league here was pretty successful back in the day. Matches would once fill the Rod Laver Arena, but the NBL has declined in the last decade.

As for netball, the professional league in Australia is currently in its inaugural season - basketball is much more widely supported. And Australia are the current world champions in both netball and women's basketball, although there hasn't been much success in men's basketball.

yes of course...!

Much better than say - Boston???

their skylines is probably half or even quarter than Melbourne's

Toronto is more alike to Melbourne.. imho

I think it would be a marvellous idea.. I, too, am surprised how many times I look at pictures of beautiful Melbourne and see similarities to here. Maybe we can get a reduction on airline fares to visit each other's cities!!
ps Melboy Pete started a similar thread in the Toronto section, and the response has also been overwhelmingly positive!

only if it means we get something as high as the cn tower to keep up, but no, to me sister city relationships are a big wank, waste of money. our local council does it with places in china & japan & is just an excuse for them to go over on tax payer funded holidays to hob nob with their friends. So far no tangible benefit has come out of it

If Toronto is to Sydney, Melbourne is to Montreal, Brisbane is to Vancouver, Perth is to Calgary, Edmonton is to Adelaide, Ottawa is to Canberra, Halifax is to Hobart...how does that fit? But in reality, Melbourne is like a cross between Montreal and Vancouver...

Would prefer Montreal or Vancouver for sister-city to Melbourne.

Vancouver is the other 'World's most liveable city' surrounded by breathtaking natual beauty I must say.

Vancouver is certainly a city we should share urban planning ideas with as well as create a bit of healthy rivalry for the benefit of both cities, but with a common goal to retain our cities as the 'Most livable'. That title I would be happy to share.

At the moment, our state government do need ideas.

Also agree with doom, it's the polies that are seen to benefit most at the expense of the tax payer without any benefit.