Snuggling up to the Australian Parliamentarians is an activity that all New Zealand Parliamentarians happily join in. They seem to have all flown the Cabinet coop for 36 hours to sort out the generosity received by Australians in New Zealand and to arrange a reciprocal arrangement for New Zealanders in Australia.
Even those of us with no great considerations either way, know the percentages are about equal population-wise and recognise that Australia is heading in the same financial downwards direction as New Zealand has been heading for the last six years – up the creek without a paddle. So why on earth would the New Zealand Government think that a personal Cabinet to Cabinet visit would engage the Australians enough to gain equality trans-Tasman style? What we give Australians resident in New Zealand should be reciprocated for New Zealanders living in Australia!
This year was no different from the past few years; the Australian response was along the lines of -
‘Yes we heard you and no, we are not interested, but here is a tit bit to take back to your constituents for your election campaign: after ten years, NZ Youths resident in Australia for that period of time will be allowed to take out student loans!’ Yeah right, really helpful and generous!
What about our New Zealand politicians spending all that travel money, even if you all flew RNZAF, on gaining some useful insight into why our country has such a bad reputation for caring for the New Zealand hidden society called the living poor eh?