East Timor, should it become part of Oz?

[Jovial Monk]

ET, Timor Leste is struggling and we owe them something:

1. for their help to diggers in WWII, help that caused some their life!

2. because we botched badly the vote for their independence, leading to slaughter & destruction by Indonesian backed militias.

Could we offer them the opportunity to become a new state of Australia?

Can anyone think of benefits?

If you don't like the idea, fine but I am only asking for ideas etc, not saying it should become a state. Maybe it and the NT could become a single state?

[Ethnic]

That would really depend on the East Timorese people and whether or not they favour such a move. If they do it should be considered. It may encourage more Aussies to go there and set up businesses and help the economy. I'd be worried about militias and their access to Australia though.

[Jovial Monk]

Yes, would depend on all that.

Just trying to see if it could work, what benefits to both could come out of it.

[freediver]

Not sure if the timorese would want that.

One major concern I would have is that we would then be sharing a land border with Indonesia. I guess we would still leave the quarantine area around the mainland.

Another is the big cultural divide. I'm not very familiar with East Timor, but I'm pretty sure it is very different from Australia. Would they really want our federal law imposed on them? I think merging Australia and New Zealand would make more sense.

Also, a sense of duty is no reason to join the two countries. There are plenty of ways to help them out besides that.

I don't think we owe them anything. I think we did them a huge favour. Not that I have a problem with helping them out more, but don't try to make out we 'owe' them anything.

[Jovial Monk]

yeah yeah

but any mutual benefits?

[Jovial Monk]

Like Oz tourists could visit ET without needing passport or visa--so ET would get a lot of tourists who would otherwise go to Bali.

[freediver]

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.

[Jovial Monk]

*Sigh*

I am not saying we should do it, not saying there would be no problem.

Just a 'thought experiment' if you like:- any benefits for both parties?

[freediver]

You mean all the oil?

[Jovial Monk]

thought someone would mention that.

ET would get revenue from it either way.

thinking more in terms of developing ET, of its people.