Geoffrey Palmer: Constitutional reasons NZ should not join Australia

2026-02-09 - 16:08

Comment: Advocates of New Zealand becoming a state of Australia do not seem to understand the legal implications of what they propose. Nor is there any explanation of deep and complex defence arrangements between the two allies. These arrangements make it redundant and unnecessary for New Zealand to become a state of Australia. The main advocate of the proposal is David Farrar, a well-known political pollster. Farrar argues New Zealand security would be stronger if we were part of Australia. In an opinion piece in