The Australian and New Zealand Rivalry

     I was shown this video during the culture and adventure program during the first week that I was in Australia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AIppqNePdM. Check it out- it is hilarious!
     The subject of the conversation was Australian and New Zealand relations.  (Aka: the sibling friendship of Aussies and Kiwi's).  People from Australia and New Zealand love to joke with each other about a number of different things- Australians joke about New Zealand's lack of defense (like in the video!), and they also joke about their plentiful sheep and make sheep jokes.  New Zealanders joke with Australia about Rugby and the fact that they have an overwhelmingly higher percentage of Olympians than the Aussies.
     I experienced this relationship on the bus in Rotorua on the way to the Maori Dinner.  Our bus driver named all of the countries that the visitors were from on the bus.  Of course, he said Australia last and poked fun at Australians about their accents.  For some reason, both countries love to make fun of how the other country says "Fish and Chips."  AND here's the thing: Australians joked back!  I thoroughly enjoyed the dry humor on the bus ride.
     And, just in case you want to hear any more jokes, I found a FUNNY one from the prime minister of New Zealand in the 1980s.  During the 1980s, many New Zealanders were moving to Australia to find jobs, and when the prime minister was asked about it, he said, " That by doing so, they [the New Zealand immigrants] were raising the average IQ of both countries."
     Gotta Love Sibling Rivalry!
      

Australians joke that New Zealand is 100% there for the taking because New Zealand does not have a strong defence force