[Wellington-pm] Thoughts on Australia's New Zealand... ; ) (was Re: Perl miniconf at LinuxConf.au 2006)

[Jacinta Richardson]

David Benton wrote:
> you would think that they though 
> New Zealand was just another part of Australia. 

For what it's worth, this is indeed a common perception among Australians.  New
Zealand is our pseudo-extra state, and I suspect you might find (although
perhaps its just an urban legend) that the Australian constitution still allows
for New Zealand to officially become our 7th state.

	http://www.treatyofwaitangi.govt.nz/timeline/nz1900.php

We don't need visas to visit NZ and you don't need visas to visit us.  If you
relocate to here then you're automatically granted rights to utilise our
Medicare system just as we are if we relocate to there.  I believe unemployment
benefits swap over as well.

Almost all of NZ is cheaper to get to, than Perth, from Melbourne or Sydney and
more convenient as well.  The biggest advantage in it being two separate
countries (in my opinion) is that there's somewhere manageable for us to
consider going when John Howard opens his mouth.  NZ seems to have a better
political climate than Australia.

On the other hand, many Australians exhibit a sort of sibling rivalry with New
Zealand; in so far as it matters less what other countries might beat us in
sport than possibly losing either to a team New Zealand beat recently or to New
Zealand's team itself.

Doing business in New Zealand (on a contractual basis) is almost the equivalent
of doing so in Australia.  All it requires is remembering not to charge the NZ
company the Australian GST and to fill in an extra couple of boxes on the
company tax return.

One interesting difference between the two countries is the treatment of the
GST.  In Australia you can reclaim any GST that you've paid in the last short
period (can't remember the length, a week or two) on your way out of the
country.  In New Zealand, they laugh at you if you ask whether it's possible.
Oh, and your $1 and $2 coins are the right way around which is confusing.

	Jacinta

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