Sign of The Times

Aussie eyes have turned across the Tasman to observe the State
funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary. He was very much the kind of Kiwi they like – rugged, irreverent and successful in what he did without beating any Australians in the process.

More to the point, though, the absence of any member of the royal family has not gone unnoticed. In New Zealand, the Herald pointed out they didn’t expect an 80-year-old to hop on a plane and travel across the world but one of her sons could surely have made an effort, though Prince Charles did have something on to do with British mutton on the day itself. While mutton is close to Kiwi hearts, this was not a sufficient excuse.

The Herald’s readers clearly took a different view - they couldn’t give a damn whether any royals turned up or not and many felt it was better if they didn’t.

The message, from both Buckingham Palace and Auckland, seems clear. Next time the issue of a republic raises its head here, expect Sir Ed’s funeral to play a part in the debate.

Australia Day

It's Australia Day on January 28 and we all get a day off to celebrate....well, what exactly?

This year, for those in doubt, the Australian Government has helpfully commissioned ads, enjoing us to "celebrate what's great" and provides a checklist for the day. It includes "overcook a variety of meats on semi-hygienic BBQs" and "make a disparaging remark about English cricket." You could then "fill your togs (swimming costume) with sand" and "exercise your democratic right to give dead-arms."

Even Australians are baffled about why they've done it. It's mildly amusing, if predictable, but hardly worth bothering with on that score. The best explanation seems to be to prove that the country, under Labor, is now run by a bunch of ordinary blokes and sheilas, and not by those effete Liberal toffs.

By the way, one of those sheilas, the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, lived in Newport, South Wales, until she was eight and her parents emigrated.

On The Road

Iwan's visiting and this is him on the road to Bourke. Bourke is where the real outback really starts and you can see the bustling main street below. I can confirm that the outback and the roads to it are every bit as empty as they are reputed to be and the main point about going there seems to be to hoist this point on board. Once you've done that, there seems to be little point in staying but it's always good to see another world.