John Tamihere: We are not mates with Australia (Photo: NZ Herald)

9 August 2018

John Tamihere – NZ Herald

Watch the video John Tamihere: We are not mates with Australia

Australians are no longer our best friends or mates. They have to be watched very carefully in all dealings, whether they are on the rugby field, the cricket field, in the bar or in the boardroom.

It is clear that both cultures have taken a clear steer in totally opposite directions since the late 1970s.

The way in which New Zealanders, who are New Zealanders solely by accident of birth but who have been bred in Australia, are being exited and vilified is not the way to treat mates.

The massive contribution of New Zealanders to the Australian economy in a range of industries where they pay top dollar in tax, is never acknowledged. New Zealanders in Australia are always defined by a very small minority of Kiwis who get up to mischief – and it is over-reported, over hyped, overstated and totally unfair.

And because we are definitely not Australian, we are definitely not mates, given the fact that Kiwis are never treated “fair dinkum” in the land of the “young and free”.

[Read the full NZ Herald article].