East Timor, should it become part of Oz?

[Jovial Monk]

Why stop at ET?

Why not ask PNG and kiwiland to join our commonwealth!

Ask some of those pacific island nations as well.

[freediver]

We should start with NZ and Tasmania.

[Jovial Monk]

Nah, we don't want tassie. Give it to the Indonesians to placate them about ET

[Uncanny Valley]

I work with a bird from Cocos Keeling Islands. Fantastic boobs. I didn't know they were mostly Muslim.

And fat dole bludgers.

[Jovial Monk]

To a Muslim (allegedly) it is fine to use and abuse a system, like the dole etc.

Anyway, Lefty has come up FOR another reason for ET to federate with Australia: their dreadful nutrition standards. So, alleviate poverty (Skippy) provide added tourism business (me) and better nutrition & hygiene (Leftofcentre.)

Would like some serious (i.e. not flip) comments of benefits if anyone can think of others.

Hmmm could Qantas etc land there rather than Singapore? would provide LOTS of jobs. Don't tell me this federation can't happen please, not the point of the exercise.

[freediver]

What is the point of this exercise again?

[JW Frogen]

What is the point of this exercise again?

To pump up your pecs.

[Jovial Monk]

Just a mental exercise.

but some good reasons have been advanced

[boxy]

A big problem is that we would suddenly grant a whole heap of poor people Australian citizenship. Many would move to the mainland and we would have to sink a massive investment into the area to bring it up to our standard. We would have to build roads, hospitals, schools, centrelink offices etc and run them all for many years before the place could support itself. I'm happy to help, but not that much.

There is also a big risk of internal violence. It still could turn into another basketcase.

It's already a basketcase, isn't it. Full of internal violence that needs our and other nations committing police forces to get in between rival factions.

It's funny (in a sad way), what people usually do with freedoms given to them...

[freediver]

There is still hope for the place and I genuinely expect them to sort out their issues and become a functioning state fairly soon - one that is reasonably well off given the oil revnue.