I still like Bob Jones' suggestion -
Australia should become part of NZ.
Think about it.

Richard P
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jinx [mailto:joecolquitt@CLEAR.NET.NZ]
> Sent: Thursday, November 04, 1999 10:22 PM
> To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: Re: [OT] NASA in a rut ?
>

> Persistent suggestion put forward here that NZ should become a
> state of Australia, common currency etc vs loss of nationhood.
> Probably not a bad idea to try and form a larger manufacturing base
> and so on. Whether it would actually affect the individual, I don't
> know, there's still the problem of physical separation by rather a
> lot of water. OK for planes and boats but tricky for trucks without
> really big puffy tyres. Economics definitely not my area but my
> guess is that not much would change.
>
> Many of my parts that I need, PIC, Atmel and some specialty items
> often have to be shipped out of Sydney or Melbourne or further.
> Although reps (Avnet, GEC et al) are here the cupboards are bare
> quite frequently. NZ as an Oz state wouldn't alter that, the
> local market
> is still too small to justify holding slow-moving stock. I
> envy our friends
> in the US, they have their supply problems too, but it must be a parts
> collectors dreamworld.
>
> And of course Oz has great entrepreneurial outfits like Dick Smith
> Electronics, Oatley Electronics, Jaycar, and I'm sure there's one
> other, um, who could that be ? ;-)
>
> Jinx
>
> "New Zealanders who migrate to Australia raise the average IQs of
> both countries", ex-NZ PM Rob Muldoon  :-P
>
>
> > Will I be reporting from the Republic of Australia next
> week? Dunno, as
> > usual the reports and poles performed are as varied as our
> population is
> > diverse.
> >
> > Panic merchant
> >
> > Dennis (RepAust???????)
> >
>