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The Evolution of the Australia–New Zealand Relationship

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Reconstituting the Constitution

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Abstract

New Zealand’s identity has been shaped by its interactions with other nation states, particularly Australia. While New Zealand and Australia have a shared heritage, their paths diverged at the moment of Australian federation in 1901. Differing national sentiments, economic reasons and political personalities all played their part in New Zealand’s decision not to become Australia’s seventh state. Despite this, the two countries have maintained a dynamic relationship throughout the twentieth century into the present day. The main points of distinction are the matter of a written or unwritten constitution and defence policy while cooperation exists in trade, ideas exchange and at high political levels. With the realignment of global power relations, New Zealand would do well to maintain its separate status while at the same time recognising its complementarity with Australia.

Philippa Mein Smith is Director of the New Zealand Australia Research Centre and Professor of History, University of Canterbury.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    On this “new Australasia”, see Hempenstall and Mein Smith (2008).

  2. 2.

    Hirst (2000). Cf Sinclair (1986).

  3. 3.

    For further details see http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/indigenous_vote/aborigin.htm.

  4. 4.

    Mein Smith (1999), Grimshaw (2002).

  5. 5.

    Curzon-Siggers W (1901), A–4, p. 109.

  6. 6.

    Mein Smith (2003).

  7. 7.

    Mein Smith (2008).

  8. 8.

    Hall (1890), p. 175.

  9. 9.

    Mein Smith (2008).

  10. 10.

    Mein Smith et al. (2008), pp. 57–62. On “Muldoonism” and “Rogernomics”, see Mein Smith (2005), Chap. 9.

  11. 11.

    Australian Bureau of Statistics (2010), p. 2.

  12. 12.

    Australian Bureau of Statistics (2010), p. 1.

  13. 13.

    Hamer (2007).

  14. 14.

    James (2006).

  15. 15.

    As suggested by the Rudd government’s Australia 2020 Summit in 2008.

  16. 16.

    Craig (1993).

  17. 17.

    UMR Poll, March 2010.

  18. 18.

    Queensland is the exception in Australia.

  19. 19.

    In Wi Parata v Bishop of Wellington [1877] 3 NZ Jur (NS) 72, Justice Prendergast declared the Treaty a “simple nullity”.

  20. 20.

    McMillan (2008).

  21. 21.

    I thank Chris Eichbaum, School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington, for this observation.

  22. 22.

    Hempenstall and Mein Smith (2008).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Humanities, University of Canterbury, 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand

    Philippa Mein Smith

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  1. Philippa Mein Smith
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Correspondence to Philippa Mein Smith .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , School of Law, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, United Kingdom

    Caroline Morris

  2. , Institute of Policy Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Jonathan Boston

  3. , Faculty of Law, Victoria University, Wellington, Lambton Quay 15, Wellington, New Zealand

    Petra Butler

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Smith, P.M. (2011). The Evolution of the Australia–New Zealand Relationship. In: Morris, C., Boston, J., Butler, P. (eds) Reconstituting the Constitution. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21572-8_20

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