Not this shit again.

[rossmum]

That's right, folks! Once again, there's been a lot of boat-rocking from the people who want Australia to be made into a republic. The last referendum was in the late 90s, I believe, and it failed. They're pushing for another one.

I find myself wondering: what the fuck are this lot thinking?

There are two main reasons: the first being that why should we do it? I mean, sure, we have our own identity, we don't really follow England around as much anymore (if anything, we'd become America's newest state, which is a shame because I find we were much better off with the UK anyway); but what difference will splitting from them completely make? Pretty much none, really. A new flag, slight reorganisation of the government, then what? Nothing.

Second is the proposed structure of the republic. It is virtually identical to our current government, except the PM becomes president and the Governor General is out of a job. Why fucking bother, seriously?

Fuck that shit. I love being a part of the British Commonwealth.

Thoughts?

[Bodzilla]

dont fix what aint broke.

[rossmum]

Thank-fuckin'-you.

Anyway, what the fuck's so bad about the UK? They have all sorts of awesome shit there.

[DaneO'Roo]

I totally agree fellas. Like, our own flag and all that stuff would be cool, no doubt about that, but still, if theres the potential to fuck shit up, don't even start.

Risks you can take with things like a game of chess very easily with little real consequence. Risks for 20 million+ people? No.

[rossmum]

Does anyone actually remember the figures from last time? I can't remember them for the life of me, but it would've had to have been fairly close for them to start agitating again...

[Con]

Pretty much what we've got in Canada right now, and I don't see why it should be changed. It's good to have ties with Britain.

[TeeKup]

I'm seriously considering moving there, however it would be in an apartment in Sydney, away from the spiders that are so big they have fucking health bars.

But honestly, there really is no need.

[rossmum]

I'm seriously considering moving there, however it would be in an apartment in Sydney, away from the spiders that are so big they have fucking health bars.

But honestly, there really is no need.
Ahahahaha

hahahahahaah
hahhhahahahaahaha

The Sydney Funnelweb is one of the deadliest spiders going, dude. Somewhere out in the Blue Mountains or central-west of NSW is fine for spiders, but then you get shitloads of equally deadly snakes (that said, you get them everywhere). It's cool though. I've seen a few funnelwebs and redbacks, but most things out here are like the people - don't disturb them, and they won't give a fuck.

[TeeKup]

I'm normally very comfortable with nature, a Wolf Spider wandered into my school's front office the other day. I picked her up and set her outside near the local forest without a single thought of anxiety. I'm normally that way with all elements of nature, bees, snakes (although I am cautious with them) really any insect and reptile. I just can't stand cockroach's and mosquitoes. Mosquitoes because they're annoying as hell and cockroach's because they're bloody disgusting (have a stench that can make you gag).

Specifically the American Cockroach.
http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biosystematics/invertebrates/invertid/images/AmericanCockroach1.jpg

[rossmum]

TEEK MOTHERFUCKING SPOILER TAG THAT THING JESUS CHRIST

[DaneO'Roo]

Thats a big roach o_O

Also yes come to australia. Much better than that other shitty place your in right now.

[TeeKup]

Guy's that thing only grows to about an inch and a half long...

[rossmum]

I've seen some past 2.

Have you spoilered it yet? I hate them. HATE.

e:

Fuck whoops I said shot tags, I meant spoiler tags. I saw it and freaked.

[Kornman00]

come to the dark side http://sa.tweek.us/emots/images/emot-australia.gif, together you and I can rule the world as http://sa.tweek.us/emots/images/emot-911.gif! gogogogogogogoagogo

[Reaper Man]

Thank-fuckin'-you.

Anyway, what the fuck's so bad about the UK? They have all sorts of awesome shit there.
Weather. :gonk:

[TeeKup]

Not to remain offtopic but if and when I move to Australia I'm mostly concerned about these buggers.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Mouse_spider.jpg
The Mouse Spider

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Victorian_funnelweb02.jpg
and the infamous Australian-Funnel-Web Spider.

Both have extremely toxic venom and are highly aggressive.

[rossmum]

Mouse spiders aren't nearly as dangerous, IIRC.

Funnel webs are all over Sydney.

[TeeKup]

Ross you should totally get on MSN.

[rossmum]

Fuck that, add me on Steam.

Also oh dear, derailed much. :gonk:

[Con]

I'm totally expecting Neuro to jump in here and go, "So what if you've got spiders? I've got crabs!"

[Emmzee]

Guy's that thing only grows to about an inch and a half long...
I'm really tempted to make a penis joke.

On topic, it really isn't that big of a deal. A flag change, and that's about it. Australia will still be really close with Britain.

[PenGuin1362]

All in favor of taking over Latvia and making our own cuntry country?

[Tweek]

they're just out of stuff th throw money at.

[PlasbianX]

I'm totally expecting Neuro to jump in here and go, "So what if you've got spiders? I've got crabs!"

Except for the fact he got banned for posting a pic of his dick with a smiley face on it.

[itszutak]

Except for the fact he got banned for posting a pic of his dick with a smiley face on it.What the fuck?

glad I missed that <_>

[CN3089]

sup, Canadian republican checking in



what the hell is wrong with you monarchy cockfags



I mean, I don't hate the Queen or anything, but it's the 21st fucking century, it's far past the time to get rid of that old outdated crap http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c251/CN3089/Emoticons/emot-capatriot.gif

[n00b1n8R]

Republic tbqh.

[TeeKup]

All in favor of taking over Latvia and making our own cuntry country?

I'm in.

[rossmum]

sup, Canadian republican checking in



what the hell is wrong with you monarchy cockfags



I mean, I don't hate the Queen or anything, but it's the 21st fucking century, it's far past the time to get rid of that old outdated crap http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c251/CN3089/Emoticons/emot-capatriot.gif
http://sa.tweek.us/emots/images/emot-argh.gif


Republic tbqh.
What's the point, though? It's just a slight reshuffling of the government, and a new flag, pretty much. Really, what's so important about that? It's not like we sing God Save The Queen as our national anthem anymore, either...

[Emmzee]

What's the point, though? It's just a slight reshuffling of the government, and a new flag, pretty much. Really, what's so important about that? It's not like we sing God Save The Queen as our national anthem anymore, either...
Exactly. Why are you treating it like a huge deal that will destroy everything you hold dear when it clearly isn't?

[CN3089]

And why would you have to get a new flag?

[rossmum]

Exactly. Why are you treating it like a huge deal that will destroy everything you hold dear when it clearly isn't?
Because holding a nationwide referendum on it and then (assuming it even passes) making said shuffles is a colossal waste of time and money that could be better used doing something useful. Like making our health system less shit.

e:

@ CN - Union Jack in top left corner of current one. All the republicans seem to think this means we need to totally redesign the whole thing.

[Agamemnon]

Exactly. Why are you treating it like a huge deal that will destroy everything you hold dear when it clearly isn't?
TRADITION!

gRdfX7ut8gw

[n00b1n8R]

What's the point, though? It's just a slight reshuffling of the government, and a new flag, pretty much. Really, what's so important about that? It's not like we sing God Save The Queen as our national anthem anymore, either...
That, and we don't need mother England to approve any law the federal gov wants to pass. The monarchy is redundant so why bother hanging around a dead corpse?

@ CN - Union Jack in top left corner of current one. All the republicans seem to think this means we need to totally redesign the whole thing.
Great generalization there. Well done.

[rossmum]

That, and we don't need mother England to approve any law the federal gov wants to pass. The monarchy is redundant so why bother hanging around a dead corpse?
So instead we waste a shitload of time and money which should be going towards fixing the bloody country up just to remove something which has no negative impact on us anyway?


Great generalization there. Well done.
Well, I'd be quite amazed if there were any who didn't. It makes sense, though, since the flag is just the Southern Cross without the Union Jack and it would look pretty empty.

[Emmzee]

So instead we waste a shitload of time and money which should be going towards fixing the bloody country up just to remove something which has no negative impact on us anyway?
Wrong. By having to run everything past the British, you're slowing down the system.

Are you familiar with the concept of spending money to make money? It applies to this situation. A minor inconvenience now will speed up progress for the future.

[Huero]

dont fix what aint broke.
Shit expression and a shit philosophy to go by, but it works in this situation. :I
Although Australia WOULD be a kickass state <<

[n00b1n8R]

So instead we waste a shitload of time and money which should be going towards fixing the bloody country up just to remove something which has no negative impact on us anyway?
Slowing the beurocracy and fucking around with a country we now have next to no ties with isn't a negative thing?

Well, I'd be quite amazed if there were any who didn't. It makes sense, though, since the flag is just the Southern Cross without the Union Jack and it would look pretty empty.
Hi.

[rossmum]

Wrong. By having to run everything past the British, you're slowing down the system.

Are you familiar with the concept of spending money to make money? It applies to this situation. A minor inconvenience now will speed up progress for the future.
Not by much. They only actually get involved on a noticeable level when someone throws one motherfucker of a spanner into the works.

[Emmzee]

Not by much. They only actually get involved on a noticeable level when someone throws one motherfucker of a spanner into the works.
Still, think for the future. The process of becoming a republic probably won't affect you much anyway.

Monarchies are obsolete. Australia needs to get with the times.

[rossmum]

Hardly. There's really not much of a difference and I've always liked the British system far and away better than the American one (although what they're proposing is basically the British system without the Governor-General, which really makes no noticeable improvements on the current system). Not to mention that if the PM fucks up, we all get to watch with glee as the Governor-General puts the royal ass-kicking boot to work.

:whitlam:

[Bodzilla]

Shit expression and a shit philosophy to go by, but it works in this situation. :I
Although Australia WOULD be a kickass state <<
how is it shit?

any time you tinker with shit that doenst need it you make it worse. >_<
if it doesnt need to have anything done to it, fiddling with it just increases the chance of something stupid happening.

[Roostervier]

If I lived in Australia I'd actually prefer not to have the American system. Alexis de Tocqueville made an excellent observation. He observed that our democracy would only be a good one until people realized that they could vote people in that could "pay them back." Things like welfare and social security, just two examples. Or you could say anything that the people would benefit (you could say unfairly) from, like tax breaks for a company. Unfortunately, people did realize that. Now look at not only us, but the world's opinion and attitude toward us. Most everyone dislikes us or even hates us, even people in our own country hate us. I don't think that that is the right road for Australia to travel down, imo.

[CN3089]

If I lived in Australia I'd actually prefer not to have the American system. Alexis de Tocqueville made an excellent observation. He observed that our democracy would only be a good one until people realized that they could vote people in that could "pay them back." Things like welfare and social security, just two examples. Or you could say anything that the people would benefit (you could say unfairly) from, like tax breaks for a company. Unfortunately, people did realize that. Now look at not only us, but the world's opinion and attitude toward us. Most everyone dislikes us or even hates us, even people in our own country hate us. I don't think that that is the right road for Australia to travel down, imo.

Uh, and that doesn't apply to Australia now because. . .?

[Emmzee]

If I lived in Australia I'd actually prefer not to have the American system. Alexis de Tocqueville made an excellent observation. He observed that our democracy would only be a good one until people realized that they could vote people in that could "pay them back." Things like welfare and social security, just two examples. Or you could say anything that the people would benefit (you could say unfairly) from, like tax breaks for a company. Unfortunately, people did realize that. Now look at not only us, but the world's opinion and attitude toward us. Most everyone dislikes us or even hates us, even people in our own country hate us. I don't think that that is the right road for Australia to travel down, imo.
You know nothing about Australian politics, do you?

[Roostervier]

Not sure, but it'd definitely speed up the process (assuming it even happens) by switching over.

e:

Actually, I don't Emmzee.

[Emmzee]

Actually, I don't Emmzee.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Australia

Have fun.

[Roostervier]

Thanks, maybe now I won't sound like an idiot anymore. :haw:

Sarcasm aside, thanks.

[TeeKup]

Monarchies are obsolete. Australia needs to get with the times.

So is my Honda but it still works. :downs:

[n00b1n8R]

So is my Honda but it still works. :downs:
If your talking about the English Royal Family, then that is a poor analogy. :downs:

[rossmum]

Hardly.

How doesn't it work?

[n00b1n8R]

Their the most dysfunctional group of figureheads I've ever heard of.

And that's another point.
their just figureheads.

[rossmum]

Doesn't impact on the running of the country except in the most extreme cases, though, and those only really pop up every century or three.

[CN3089]

Exactly, so why not get rid of them? All they do is embarrass us in front of our cool, republic brosefs. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c251/CN3089/Emoticons/emot-saddowns.gif


p.s. technically they should be called the Australian royal family, for the purpose of this thread - they reign over every realm equally :words:

[rossmum]

They also give us a part of our nation's image, though. Not nearly as much as for the UK, obviously, but still some. So why get rid of them?

:mindfuck:

[n00b1n8R]

Because they give you some of the nations image, but not our leader.
GG we win. :awesome:

[Bodzilla]

whats the point.

it will still be exactly the same, we'll just have a different title for Kevin, we'll be out of the commonwealth games and we'll be done out of a hell of alot of money.

>_<

[rossmum]

whats the point.

it will still be exactly the same, we'll just have a different title for Kevin, we'll be out of the commonwealth games and we'll be done out of a hell of alot of money.

>_<
...Which is desperately needed in health and education.

[CN3089]

whats the point.

it will still be exactly the same, we'll just have a different title for Kevin,

A lot of republics have prime ministers.


we'll be out of the commonwealth games and we'll be done out of a hell of alot of money.

>_<No, you'd still be in the Commonwealth (unless you choose to leave). There are actually more republics in the Commonwealth of Nations than Realms. And does the royalty really give you money? How does that work? http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c251/CN3089/Emoticons/emot-psyduck.gif

[rossmum]

He probably means the costs of the referendum, the reorganisation, new coin reverse sides, etc.

[CN3089]

He probably means the costs of the referendum, the reorganisation, new coin reverse sides, etc.

Dunno about you but I'd say it's worth it just to have Rudd on your pennies

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/KevinRuddZoom.JPG

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c251/CN3089/Emoticons/emot-swoon.gif

[n00b1n8R]

No pennies in Aus, but it'd certainly be better than ol Johnny:
http://www.uranium-stocks.net/wp-content/img/2007/07/john-howard.jpg

also:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l183/n00b1n8R/ruddkips-1.jpg

And why can't we keep the old currency? It's not like when we switched from pounds to dollars, it's just a new head of state.

[rossmum]

They'd want to replace it anyway. If you go through all that just to get rid of the Queen's significance in the country, why would you leave her head on all your coins and the $5 note?

[n00b1n8R]

It's not the queen specifically, but rather the monarchy and pointless ties to the british system that I'm personally opposed to.

Stop making broad, biased and uninformed generalisations about republicans.

[rossmum]

I'm not, I was stating the fact that leaving the Queen's head on the fucking coins and notes would seem stupid after that. Jesus Christ, overreact more.

[Bodzilla]

also:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l183/n00b1n8R/ruddkips-1.jpg
god bless the internet
*tear*

[n00b1n8R]

I don't like people telling me what I think.
They'll fade out of circulation in time, like all old notes and get replaced by somebody new.

And for that matter, why have faces on the coins? Why not Australia. Again, the older coins will fade out of circulation and become collector peices and the nation will move on.

The tie to england is a useless bottleneck in the Australian beurocracy, so there is a valid reason to remove it. A face on a coin is just a fucking face on a coin.

Anyways, g'night. I'll continue bitching tomorrow. :p

[rossmum]

I'm not telling you what you think, what the fuck. But regardless, that'd still be quite a costly process, because the Mint would have to get themselves sorted to produce the new ones.

[Phobias]

I've only read the first 2 pages and I agree with dane...or was it bod ? anyway don't fix what ain't broken.

Edit: it was B-B-B-od.

[Emmzee]

I'm not telling you what you think, what the fuck. But regardless, that'd still be quite a costly process, because the Mint would have to get themselves sorted to produce the new ones.
Not with bills. I'm sure Australia does things like America with bills. They gradually fade out old bills whenever one is returned to a bank. Eventually, most (if not all) old bills are removed from circulation.

I remember when most $1 bills I had were from the 1995 run. Now, I don't see any.

Coins shouldn't matter, as long as they don't change the denominations.

[thehoodedsmack]

I think he means costly as in producing the plates for new currency designs.

[Emmzee]

I think he means costly as in producing the plates for new currency designs.
It can't be much more costly than it was for when America started redesigning its currency.

[thehoodedsmack]

I don't think it's really the comparative cost that concerns, but the fact that it's money that doesn't need to be spent.

[rossmum]

Yeah. Really, our (NSW) health and education systems need a LOT more money put into them, and a lot of the other states and the territories in particular need serious money to fix their own numerous problems. If we run a nationwide referendum, reshuffle the government to drop the G-G and make Rudd president, sort shit out with England, then start phasing out our old currency and replacing the old flag, that's going to be drawing that money away for something that makes virtually no fucking positive impact on the country. We're more or less independent nowadays anyway, because we've run off with America and left poor England to tag along miserably and watch from a distance. I'd rather see us ditch ANZUS and restore our ties with the UK by far, because typically they have a lot more bloody sense when it comes to picking fights or dealing with other countries diplomatically.

[TeeKup]

This is true, I understand and respect the ideals America was born with, but somewhere down the line we thought it would be a good idea to police the whole goddamn world......which has failed horribly. One of our initial ideals was to remain a neutral and isolated country unless we were harmed directly. :gonk:

[Pooky]

This is true, I understand and respect the ideals America was born with, but somewhere down the line we thought it would be a good idea to take over the whole goddamn world......which has succeeded wonderfully. One of our initial ideals was to remain a neutral and isolated country unless we were harmed directly. :gonk:

ftfy

[TeeKup]

Hah ha! Internet sarcasm.

[Pooky]

You think I was being sarcastic? :S

[TeeKup]

Was your edit projected negatively or positively towards the US?

[Pooky]

Was your edit projected negatively or positively towards the US?

Neither.

I don't necessarily like that the united states has most countries in the world on a leash, but at the same time, I'd rather it be my country than some other country.

[DaneO'Roo]

Dudes, they're not going to chuck out our system of currency for an inferior one just because of being a republic o_O

Not to mention all the vending machines that would need to be replaced. I can actually see alot of merit in this happening. At first I was a little, um why, but really, I'm sick and tired of people pretending that the queen and the royal family matter to australia. The british are looking out for hte british. IT's time we started looking out for ourselves.

However, I don't at all support any sort of seperation in the world. I'd much rather everyone become the one dam republic, and fuck off all the figureheads.

[rossmum]

Wouldn't work, though, thanks to the kinds of petty differences people like to kill each other over http://sa.tweek.us/emots/images/emot-rolleye.gif

[n00b1n8R]

I'm not telling you what you think, what the fuck. But regardless, that'd still be quite a costly process, because the Mint would have to get themselves sorted to produce the new ones.

@ CN - Union Jack in top left corner of current one. All the republicans seem to think this means we need to totally redesign the whole thing.

They'd want to replace it anyway. If you go through all that just to get rid of the Queen's significance in the country, why would you leave her head on all your coins and the $5 note?
GG.
The UJ on the flag shows our heritige, which I'm not ashamed or and the coin is just a fucking coin. As the old molds wear out, instead of chucking new ones of Elizabeth on them, put Australia. /problems


Yeah. Really, our (NSW) health and education systems need a LOT more money put into them, and a lot of the other states and the territories in particular need serious money to fix their own numerous problems. If we run a nationwide referendum, reshuffle the government to drop the G-G and make Rudd president, sort shit out with England, then start phasing out our old currency and replacing the old flag, that's going to be drawing that money away for something that makes virtually no fucking positive impact on the country. We're more or less independent nowadays anyway, because we've run off with America and left poor England to tag along miserably and watch from a distance. I'd rather see us ditch ANZUS and restore our ties with the UK by far, because typically they have a lot more bloody sense when it comes to picking fights or dealing with other countries diplomatically.
It's not an immediate issue. It can wait until all that stuff is out of the road, then we give the poms the finger.

ftfy
GG :lmao:

Wouldn't work, though, thanks to the kinds of petty differences people like to kill each other over http://sa.tweek.us/emots/images/emot-rolleye.gif
NOT IF WE KILL THEM FIRST :hist101:

[rossmum]

That shit will never be out of the road, especially here. The NSW state government are a bunch of useless twats who either take backhanders from developers or cover up the fact that the others take backhanders from developers.

[Kornman00]

developers,
developers,
developers,
developers,

developers,
developers,
developers,
developers

...

[n00b1n8R]

That shit will never be out of the road, especially here. The NSW state government are a bunch of useless twats who either take backhanders from developers or cover up the fact that the others take backhanders from developers.1/7 states isn't that bad if it can never be out of the road. Especially when that state is New South Fails. :downs:

[rossmum]

The NT is pretty fucked up itself, from what I hear. Bam, 2/7. Not sure about the others.

Also, keep in mind that the vast majority of the population resides in NSW.

[n00b1n8R]

To say it is never going to be solved is rubbish.

[rossmum]

Fair point.

It'll never be solved as long as NSW is under a Labor government.

Better?

[n00b1n8R]

Oh, that was harsh.

[rossmum]

It's true. Carr's gov't. fucked everything, and Iemma is just trying to pretend that all their money is clean while bloody property devs are meeting NSW Labor MPs at a disturbing rate.