"Graham W" wrote in message
...
Raffi Balmanoukian wrote:
As one of our former PMs (Trudeau) opined about insults directed at
him (by Nixon): "I've been called worse things by better people."

Reminds me of Piggy Muldoon's (past NZ PM) famous comment.

In reply to a journalist's question about a supposed brain drain from NZ
to Australia. He said he wasn't concerned because migration from NZ to
Australia was improving the average IQ in both countries.

Of course Graham would rather see NZ immigrants as some sort of
freeloaders, whilst NZ worries about losing their best and brightest to
us. So which is it?


ah the art of saying something I didn't. I'm sorry that I touched a nerve
with the Permanent Tourists. I welcome anyone to Oz. What I fnd hard to
swallow is even though Oz gives the PT's food, clothing, shelter and a very
good life, they are simply not gracious enough to say "thanks". They never
say "goodbye " either. They never plan to return to their 'own country' . I
work with a wide range of PT's who have lived here for decades and yet I
still hear them say "In my Country" , and they are not talking about Oz. Oz
is where they make their fortune, their country is where they visit an
dlive like Kings and Queens for a month. Just be gracious as I hope we are.
We welcome the skills of the foreigner and we hope that they can make us
bigger and better. In return, we give them the obvious riches that they have
worked for and we invite them to become a part of us. If you do not like us
enough to become a part of Oz, there are planes leaving everyday for " Your
Country".


Now excuse me. The flagS outside my house need adjusting.

I guess having the US overshadowing you so closely does rather put a
different tint on the whole patriotism nonsense.

I'm sure you will have heard this one before, but for the entertainment
of the Aussies:

Some years ago a Canadian newspaper ran a competition. Along the lines
of "As American as apple pie", the contestants had to complete the
phrase "As Canadian as .....".

The winning entry was:


"As Canadian as possible under the circumstances."