Last week the retiring New Zealand Minister for Justice Douglas Graham suggested that New Zealand would become part of Australia — its seventh state — within the next 10 years. He argued that economic pressures would mean that New Zealand’s ability to remain independent would be a major issue.
“”If commodity prices that we’re so dependent on keep tumbling, that will push us closer to Australia,” he said.
There would be no huge difficulty in New Zealand becoming part of Australia. New Zealand already attends most of the federal-state ministerial councils and takes an active role in determining mutual recognition and uniformity in a lot of regulatory matters. But that is not the point. Mr Graham’s statement is based on a fallacy that economics drives nationhood. To the contrary. Language, religion and geographic are far greater determinants of nation-making and national pride than economics. There are many far poorer countries in the world than New Zealand which hold together as nations.
New Zealand has many similarities with Australia, but there are many stark contrasts. New Zealand is small, cold and mountainous. Australia is huge, hot and flat.
But most significantly, the vast majority of New Zealanders would not want to be part of Australia even if there were significant economic benefits. It is a matter of emotion, not economics. And emotion is stronger than economics.
Judging by the reaction in New Zealand, Mr Graham’s prophesy has been greeted with scorn. Just as well. It would be a shame if the comments caused anyone in New Zealand or Australia to hold back on greater economic ties for fear of a political union.
The economic ties have been of great value to both nations. And they could go further. Even the tongue-in-cheek suggestion by Australian Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer of a joint currency (made as the euro was born) is not out of the question.