Why you guys don't rule the world anymore

[Lucy]

International Emmy Awards 2006 - British TV wins 6 out of 7 categories. Australian TV wins nothing yet again. If only there had been an award for reckless nature presenters. Has there EVER been a quality Australian drama series, or is it all banality in the suburbs?

And again, if it is so good, why are we forced to pay for it ?

[Mailman]

We are forced to pay for it because this country runs on red tape!

Its as simple as that!

Thats why the tax system will never change. There are too many people with too many fingers in the pie for them to lose out by having a simplified tax system introduced to this country.

Mailman

[Lucy]

We are forced to pay for it because this country runs on red tape!

Its as simple as that!

Thats why the tax system will never change. There are too many people with too many fingers in the pie for them to lose out by having a simplified tax system introduced to this country.

Mailman

It's better than it was.

But, yes, you are right there is some sinister s hit going here.

[Hart-floot]

You think your little island is a completely separate place from "Europe"


OK over to you Mailman...

Just like all those 'stable' separate places that surround Australia. Indonesia, New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji etc etc

Apart from 'Kath & Kim' i cant think of any recent Aussie TV thats been worth watching. Bring back Skippy!

[Lucy]

Just like all those 'stable' separate places that surround Australia. Indonesia, New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji etc etc

Apart from 'Kath & Kim' i cant think of any recent Aussie TV thats been worth watching. Bring back Skippy!

Not sure what your point is.

You've obviously not lived there recently.

[wendigo100]

Not sure what your point is.

You've obviously not lived there recently.

Indonesia is a bit on the islamic side, to be fair. What with the odd bomb going off, and poking the Timorians with pointy sticks.

[Lucy]

Indonesia is a bit on the islamic side, to be fair. What with the odd bomb going off, and poking the Timorians with pointy sticks.

Indonesia is a liberal democracy with a free political process. (Re the bombs, you could have said this about London in the '70s and '80s or even last year !)

Australia is peace keeping in East Timor, to assist the elected government to maintain law and order.

[Hart-floot]

Not sure what your point is.

You've obviously not lived there recently.

Last lived in Aussie 6 years ago and do love the place. have heaps of family there.

Just that Aussies winging about GB keeping its distance from Europe is a bit hypocritical. Dont see Australia merging with New Guinea, its nearest neighbour, and encouraging free movement of Labour etc! I think GB engages with its european neighbours a bit more than the Aussie's do with theirs.

Fact is, apart from NZ, nearly all the countries that surround Australia are very unstable, one or two have civil wars right now or have huge ethnic & religious tensions (Fiji, Indonesia, irian jaya, timor, New caledonia etc etc).

Trouble is Aussies, like Americans, dont really care about the countries that surround them and to large extend dont care about some of the people i.e. the Abo's that live within their borders.

[GeorgeGregan]

Trouble is Aussies, like Americans, dont really care about the countries that surround them and to large extend dont care about some of the people i.e. the Abo's that live within their borders.

Must admit you do have a point there.

[Lucy]

Just that Aussies winging about GB keeping its distance from Europe is a bit hypocritical. Dont see Australia merging with New Guinea, its nearest neighbour, and encouraging free movement of Labour etc! I think GB engages with its european neighbours a bit more than the Aussie's do with theirs.

Fact is, apart from NZ, nearly all the countries that surround Australia are very unstable, one or two have civil wars right now or have huge ethnic & religious tensions (Fiji, Indonesia, irian jaya, timor, New caledonia etc etc).

Trouble is Aussies, like Americans, dont really care about the countries that surround them and to large extend dont care about some of the people i.e. the Abo's that live within their borders.

Firstly, Britain is a member of the EU, Austrlia has only historic ties, and is not in a customs union with New Guinea, there are no law harmonisations or cultural ties. They are independent states that get on together, they don't have to be bound. Australia is one of the largest doners of aid to PNG and ran it until 1975.

New Caledonia has none of those problems, and is a part of France - treaty signed 20 years ago.

Australia has an enormous focus locally, it has to.

Umm, well, there is incredible poverty in the UK too. What are you doing about that ?

You might have lived there but you obviously didn't read a newspaper.