Majority of New Zealanders in favour of merger with Australia

Auckland, Mar 14: A recent poll has found that 40 percent of New Zealanders support a debate about becoming a state of Australia.

According to the UMR Research poll, which surveyed a thousand people on both sides of the Tasman, approximately a quarter of Kiwis favoured the country becoming part of the Australia with 71 percent opposing the idea.

The merger was supported by 37 percent of Australian respondents, compared 52 percent against it.

Meanwhile, Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon believes a merger with Australia is inevitable.

McKinnon, who is also a former Foreign Affairs Minister and chair of the Trans-Tasman Business Circle, said it was just a matter of time before a formal agreement is reached with Australia.

'We've got nearly half a million New Zealanders living in Australia anyway," The New Zealand Herald quoted McKinnon, as saying.

'By the time the next generation comes around, technology and the movement of people everywhere, New Zealanders won't want to be in the situation of paying taxes in both countries and all the time going through immigration and Customs. They'll want to try to eliminate all those things," he added.

He also believes the shift will be people-driven, rather then politically motivated.

'It's a debate that's going to go on, but no political leader in New Zealand is going to win an election advocating this issue," McKinnon said.