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Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

independent.co.uk

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Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#141

Post by crossroadsguy »

mrcwinn wrote: post #100
mindwok wrote: post #12

As an Australian, I have noticed a shift personally in feeling like I identify more with "European" culture, compared to 10 years ago I felt like we were the 51st state and I felt very close with the US. This seems to be shared by others, I remember reading there was a survey that asked Australians who they felt our closest international friend was. The US was the top answer for over a decade, having stolen the crown…

As an American, I hope you can identify strongly as an Australian. Why bother telling yourself you’re something of a European? In any case, I hope countries form ties with Europe. Europe needs be economically stronger than it is. Better for the world, so long as they can slow their tendencies toward government control and censorship.

People identify with other places, people, policies, and cultures — along with their own, or wherever they're originally from. Sometimes they don't even identify with their own, or say, feel alienated. It's perfectly fine, and in fact a very healthy state of being.

Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#142

Post by marcus_holmes »

BLKNSLVR wrote: post #85
bGl2YW5j wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm Australian and am increasingly ok with this approach. I'm growing slowly out of a protectionist mindset, toward one of cautious, and considered collaboration. Singapore follows this approach and it has worked well for them so far.

I've never really understood the protectionist mindset. It kinda only makes sense to me as a fading shadow of WWII paranoia. The invasion of Australia by a foreign adversary has never been something I've worried about (but, maybe, that's _because_ of the alignment with the US). I've also struggled with the practical logistics of it.

100%. The only conceivable threat of invasion would be China, and they can just buy Australian resources [0] for far cheaper than it would cost them to invade us.

I don't understand who the cookers think we're defending against.

[0] https://shunculture.com/article/what-australian-companies-ar... it's about 2% in 2025

Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#143

Post by Toslink »

NDlurker wrote: post #84

I love Australia. Amazing country. Great people. I'd move back in an instant if given the opportunity. As an American, I always felt welcome there, but haven't been there since 2016. It'll be interesting seeing how attitudes have changed when I'm back visiting in 2028.

[dead]

Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#144

Post by wlalchia »

sklargh wrote: post #90
carefree-bob wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apart from the "Crocodile Dundee" and "Men at Work" phenomena in the late 80s, there is no real cultural pollination between Australia and the US, as far as I can tell. It's too far away and there are no real reasons for Americans to visit, nor are there enough internationally notable Australian music brands, films, or products that give visibility to the country, which is one price of being a commodity producing nat…

Holden, truly an incredible brand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Ute

found the bogan

Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#145

Post by MentalM »

holgerschurig wrote: post #120
mianos wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having spent a lot of time in the UK, EU and US, I feel Sydney is way more like California than say London or European cities, in terms of living, shopping and culture. Even things from the US are coming here, like the growth of Halloween. If you walk into a shop, the US is much more like Australia in terms of service and attitude (even though retail staff are paid vastly differently). I always thought this was due t…

Well, socialism died out in Europe around 1989. When the iron curtain fell. Currently there is not a single country that has socialism in it's constitution. In the EU, but also in exactly zero non-EU european countries. To educate: socialism has nothing to with how influence the execute or legislative has. Nor has it anything to do with health insurance. The central point of the ideology called "socialism" is that co…

> The central point of the ideology called "socialism" is that control of the state (not of private owners) over the "means of production".

> Usually this leads to heavy oppression of the people, to some sort of police state.

And EU are doing all of that (through bureaucratic regulations and control over the media).

> there is not a single country that has socialism in it's constitution

But it matters what it is in a political reality, not what has been write down in some papers.

Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#146

Post by marcus_holmes »

NDlurker wrote: post #84

I love Australia. Amazing country. Great people. I'd move back in an instant if given the opportunity. As an American, I always felt welcome there, but haven't been there since 2016. It'll be interesting seeing how attitudes have changed when I'm back visiting in 2028.

Basically the same. We love seppoes as people [0]. It's just the government we're annoyed at.

[0] though if you could learn to moderate your voices in public spaces, that would be great.

Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#147

Post by manyatoms »

hn_submit wrote: post #130

I believe this will turn around. The mood is a sign of the times and the general dislike of the man in the White House. But he won't be there forever yet Canada will always be the U.S.' Northern neighbor, biggest trading partner and cultural big brother. Carney is simply looking elsewhere for friends after being insulted by Trump who treats him like a subordinate and not someone of equal standing. He may even be fool…

Trump isn't going to mess with Australia.

Fox News is owned by a guy who grew up in Australia.

Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#148

Post by wlalchia »

gg82 wrote: post #45
akudha wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

India does the same. They try to be friendly (or at least on business terms ) with as many countries as they can and stay out of global conflicts as much as possible. They were buying oil from Russia well after the Russia-Ukraine war started. It also worked well for India as they were able to get rock bottom prices. From a purely economic standpoint, this would make sense. Not sure what to feel about the ethics of it…

Russian crude made up 35-40% of India's oil imports in 2024. I'm sure it is not much different at present. Although a bill just passed through congress that will allow Trump to put up to a 100% Tariff on Indian imports.

It's 2026 now, and their oil production has dropped 28% due in the last month, they stopped exports (at least temporarily) and were buying oil from Turkiye and Kazakhstan, military police are stationed at fuel stations and people are fleeing crimea due to no fuel and other conditions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4zI_oNsdgg

Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#149

Post by manyatoms »

Sanzig wrote: post #49
kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is this Venn diagram[1]. Canada could shift into the Council of Europe like Georgia or join Schengen with an independent currency like the Swiss. The latter would be a nice arrangement for Canadian passport holders. [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/1qbq43v/european_in...

Canada doesn't share a land border with any Schengen countries, so I'm not sure how valuable passport-free travel would be - you're already taking a transatlantic flight, it's not like passport control is a huge additional hassle. However, I could see a big argument for a labour mobility agreement similar to the NAFTA model, where EU citizens in a long list of professions have the right to work in Canada and vice-ver…

It says a lot psychologically to take a 'domestic' flight instead though, gives people more of a sense of togetherness

Re: Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

#150

Post by marcus_holmes »

jmyeet wrote: post #128
YZF wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We shall see. But Russia's invasion of Ukraine way predates the recent wars in the middle east. It's more like the inability to restrain Russia's aspirations in Ukraine have led to instability in the rest of the world. More generally the failure to sustain a more free and democratic Russia or China is perhaps the source of all the other instabilities which all involve political, military and financial support from th…

By the summer of 2023 when Ukraine's big counteroffensive had failed my own view was that the situation was stalemated and Russia will wait until the West gets bored or the situation changes and Russia's geopolitical position improves. Russia has that option available to it in a way the West doesn't. Sanctions in general don't work. They don't work against enemies. Arguably they only work against allies (eg apartheid…

Putin has the same choices Trump had: face the music or start a new song.

Trump was under pressure about the Epstein files, so he started a war. So far, so normal. It's what politicians do. He thought it would be a simple war, but that turned out not to be true. He's now under pressure from that war, so he's eyeing up Cuba.

Putin was under pressure, so started the Ukraine war. Again, he though it would be a simple quick war, but that turned out not to be true. He's now under pressure from that war, so he's eyeing up Poland.

I'm coming to agree with the folks who think Europe has to actually do more than fight the proxy war in Ukraine. It has to actually hurt Russia for this to resolve. Putin cannot recognise his loss any more than Trump can, so he's just going to continue hurting people.

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