Schappelle, Spying & Refugees, Australia-Indonesia Thread

[God Kefka]

Australia has every right to turn back refugees...

By the way, what's the connection between this imprisoned Schappelle and the issue surrounding Indonesian refugee boats? Or this just a general Australia-Indonesia foreign relations thread?

is there a necessary connection?

[Respawn]

Australia has every right to turn back refugees...

By the way, what's the connection between this imprisoned Schappelle and the issue surrounding Indonesian refugee boats? Or this just a general Australia-Indonesia foreign relations thread?

is there a necessary connection?

Not at all. As you said, this is just a general relations thread between the two countries. Schapelle, spying and refugees are currently the main points of contention. Trade in live cattle was another hot topic a few years back but that seems to have sorted itself out.

[God Kefka]

Australia has every right to turn back refugees...

By the way, what's the connection between this imprisoned Schappelle and the issue surrounding Indonesian refugee boats? Or this just a general Australia-Indonesia foreign relations thread?

is there a necessary connection?

Not at all. As you said, this is just a general relations thread between the two countries. Schapelle, spying and refugees are currently the main points of contention. Trade in live cattle was another hot topic a few years back but that seems to have sorted itself out.

I see...

[Costa Fierro]

Glad to hear our Schappelle is free at last. Modern day Ned Kelly, she is.

Welcome to Australia. Our national heroes: Ned Kelly, Chopper Reid, Schapelle Corby and that crappy ice skater who was coming last but only won because of pure luck. Real Aussie battlers they are.

This is what happens when you found a nation using convicts.

[Hetalian Indie Rio de Janeiro]

This is what happens when you found a nation using convicts.

Says the one that is more sheep than people.

[Costa Fierro]

This is what happens when you found a nation using convicts.

Says the one that is more sheep than people.

We also have more cows than sheep.

[Hetalian Indie Rio de Janeiro]

We also have more cows than sheep.

Is it mass conversion to Hinduism or something?

[Costa Fierro]

We also have more cows than sheep.

Is it mass conversion to Hinduism or something?

Dairy farming. We're the world's eighth largest producer of milk and one of the largest dairy exporters.

[Respawn]

Welcome to Australia. Our national heroes: Ned Kelly, Chopper Reid, Schapelle Corby and that crappy ice skater who was coming last but only won because of pure luck. Real Aussie battlers they are.

This is what happens when you found a nation using convicts.

Don't blame me. I spent a part of my childhood in New Zealand!
I love how Nauru is used as a dumping ground for refugees. It is the prison colony of a prison colony.

[Costa Fierro]

This is what happens when you found a nation using convicts.

Don't blame me. I spent a part of my childhood in New Zealand!
I love how Nauru is used as a dumping ground for refugees. It is the prison colony of a prison colony.

It's not only Nauru. Papua New Guinea and Christmas Island also hold refugee facilities.

[Vitaphone Racing]

Christmas Island is part of Australia. It's not used as a dumping ground for refugees; that's the place where they show up.

[Respawn]

Don't blame me. I spent a part of my childhood in New Zealand!
I love how Nauru is used as a dumping ground for refugees. It is the prison colony of a prison colony.

It's not only Nauru. Papua New Guinea and Christmas Island also hold refugee facilities.

Difference is Nauru is practically a colony of Australia. In the 80s it was one of the wealthiest places on the planet, now its very existence depends on aid from Australia and the UN. A friend of mine went there for a week a while ago. He said they keep their remaining topsoil under plastic tarps because the land is so unbelievably polluted from the phosphate mining. That is before we get to their ~90% unemployment and obesity rates. It's quite sad indeed.

[AiliailiA]

Says the one that is more sheep than people.

We also have more cows than sheep.

By weight you mean?

FAO 2012

31.3 million sheep
10. 2 million cattle

China has the most sheep, pigs, chickens and pretty much everything except cattle. India has the most (218 million).

Followed by Brazil, the US, Ethiopia, Argentina, Sudan, Pakistan, Mexico, Australia, Colombia, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Russian Federation, Nigeria, Kenya, France, Venezuela, Indonesia, Myanmar, South Africa, Uganda, Paraguay, Germany, Turkey, Canada, Uruguay ... then New Zealand


The US has the most turkeys ... 253 million

[Respawn]

Because it's cheap. Bali is sold as a tourist destination on the basis that it's one big beach party with cheap drinks, cheap accommodation, cheap food, cheap souvenir knock-off sunglasses and t-shirts and a carefree atmosphere, very much like Phuket or Koh Samui in that aspect. 7 days in Bali is often cheaper than 7 days on the Gold Coast.

You can still wear your Bintang singlet and get absolutely pissed in Fortitude Valley or Kings Cross or wherever, saving yourself a Jetstar (heaven forbid) supersaver airfare.

[Vitaphone Racing]

Because it's cheap. Bali is sold as a tourist destination on the basis that it's one big beach party with cheap drinks, cheap accommodation, cheap food, cheap souvenir knock-off sunglasses and t-shirts and a carefree atmosphere, very much like Phuket or Koh Samui in that aspect. 7 days in Bali is often cheaper than 7 days on the Gold Coast.

You can still wear your Bintang singlet and get absolutely pissed in Fortitude Valley or Kings Cross or wherever, saving yourself a Jetstar (heaven forbid) supersaver airfare.

People eventually get sick of doing the same thing.

[Vitaphone Racing]

Anyway, we should totally annex Nauru.

[AiliailiA]

Anyway, we should totally annex Nauru.

How about finishing the job of digging it up? Take it down below sea level, and the same for Christmas island.

[Vitaphone Racing]

Anyway, we should totally annex Nauru.

How about finishing the job of digging it up? Take it down below sea level, and the same for Christmas island.

Well that's not a bad idea. Nauru needs tourism, tourism needs beaches, create a big lake in the middle of the island and you've nearly doubled your beach area, hence doubled your visiting tourists!

[Meowfoundland]

How about finishing the job of digging it up? Take it down below sea level, and the same for Christmas island.

Well that's not a bad idea. Nauru needs tourism, tourism needs beaches, create a big lake in the middle of the island and you've nearly doubled your beach area, hence doubled your visiting tourists!

Too bad Nauru's pretty much a shithole that no one should want to visit, beaches or no beaches.

Very true. But why would anyone visit Bali, or any part of Indonesia for that matter? It's poor, it's dirty, they hate us, they're corrupt, the food is not safe, it's drug ridden, and that's only the half of it. At this rate, if flying to Europe or Asia, I would specifically choose an airline who's flight path does not go over Indonesia, in case of a crash

Basically the same reason they visit Phuket - it's "exotic".

[AiliailiA]

How about finishing the job of digging it up? Take it down below sea level, and the same for Christmas island.

Well that's not a bad idea. Nauru needs tourism, tourism needs beaches, create a big lake in the middle of the island and you've nearly doubled your beach area, hence doubled your visiting tourists!

You miss my point. But I wasn't serious anyway.

[Respawn]

People eventually get sick of doing the same thing.

So they go to Indonesia and do the exact same thing...
But you do have a point. Ever since it became cheaper to travel to SEA than internally in Australia, bogan tourists have descended upon our northern neighbours in droves. Thanks a lot, Jetstar. Now we have to put up with the reputation of being some of the worst tourists around.

Too bad Nauru's pretty much a shithole that no one should want to visit, beaches or no beaches.

Eh, speak for yourself. As horrible as it may be, it would make for a memorable journey. I really want to see those useless office blocks the government built in the 90s as part of their money laundering scheme.

[Hetalian Indie Rio de Janeiro]

Basically the same reason they visit Phuket - it's "exotic".

You Anglos are too hard on yourselves. In Brazil 99% of people are as mindless as this or even more and no one thinks we suck.

[Vitaphone Racing]

People eventually get sick of doing the same thing.

So they go to Indonesia and do the exact same thing...
But you do have a point. Ever since it became cheaper to travel to SEA than internally in Australia, bogan tourists have descended upon our northern neighbours in droves. Thanks a lot, Jetstar. Now we have to put up with the reputation of being some of the worst tourists around..

You don't have to be a bogan to go to Thailand, you'd be surprised as to who goes there. Australia is literally on the opposite side of the world to the places most people dream of going so Thailand or Bali or some other south east asian nation is the budget way of having a holiday, with or without Jetstar. As far as Australians being the worst tourists goes, we are no worse than people from any other nation from what I've seen.

[Vitaphone Racing]

Basically the same reason they visit Phuket - it's "exotic".

You Anglos are too hard on yourselves. In Brazil 99% of people are as mindless as this or even more and no one thinks we suck.

Pretty much this. If you're going to go to a place where they want you to party, you may as well have a good time. If people went over to Thailand and were in bed by 10pm, the economy would probably collapse.

[Australian rePublic]

Australia has every right to turn back refugees...

By the way, what's the connection between this imprisoned Schappelle and the issue surrounding Indonesian refugee boats? Or this just a general Australia-Indonesia foreign relations thread?

is there a necessary connection?

No, there is no connection. It's just a general Australia-Indonesia relations thread