Australian Prime Minister John Howard has announced today that Bali will become part of Australia. The ground breaking news was aired at a special news conference in Canberra today. A clearly excited Mr Howard told journalists, that over a year of backroom negotiations had gone on between Canberra and Jakarta, over the future status of the island.
Bali, the largely Hindu province of Indonesia, has long been a favourite with Australian holidaymakers. The terrorist bombings of 2002 and 2005 have had a huge impact on both the local people and the Australian public. Said Mr Howard, “We knew it was time to do something about it.” “Australians feel a special affinity with the Balinese and vice versa.” “It is our hope that making Bali a part of Australia will help the island to move forward into the 21st Century,
with improved services, education and healthcare.”
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also attended the meeting. Mr Downer commented on the important event “Today we are welcoming Bali into our country. Even I can smile at this.” Mr Downer explained that while Bali is still a part of Indonesia, the island will become a ‘Special State of Australia’ as of Jan 1st 2007. Australians will no longer need passports and visas to visit Bali, and Balinese people will have limited visitation rights in Australia.
{ 32 comments }
That’s enough to put you off Bali isn’t it?
Nick Great April fool’s joke
Great. No more V.O.A. hold ups.
I vote we tow Bali to the east coast of Australia to lower my airfares.
Australians will no longer need passports and visas to visit Bali, and Balinese people will have limited visitation rights in Australia.
Limited? That’s not fair, innit?
I believed you and was getting excited till i realized what day it was lol
April Fool’s joke?
this a joke isnt it not?
Um Nick i hope this is your APRIL FOOLS JOKE LUV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers laurs
But when will the highway go all the way to Kuta?
Although Bali would be better off under australia i dont agree Australia should just take it either, if they feel such a warmth to bali they want to help why dont Australia adopt Iraq, And will there be more immigration rights for Australians to go to Bali then a right for Balinese to travel to Australia, Britains feel a warmth to Spain but cant see us invading any time soon.
really?
Japan annouced that it was going to become part of China.
Nick, Nice April fools joke…you almost had me going!
April fool to you too mate!
Nick - is this for real - or an April Fools joke.
I find it difficult to believe that Indonesia would part with any part of its empire.
Nick - don’t get me excited - it would be beyond my wildest dreams if Bali was to become a ’special state’ of Australia - I would be there in a flash to settle.
I haven’t seen a newspaper for a week (been on the road) but its gotta be an April Fools joke.
I cannot imagine, given the current state of relations between the 2 countries, that this could be true - still I can keep hoping.
Aint is so
Bali already is a “Special State” of Australia.
With all those Aussie crims banged up in paradise its becoming Australia’s own offshore Penal Colony.
And I hear that we can all still get the $7000 first home owners grant..even if we own a place in Australia already…
Because bali will be a special state of Australia the Australian government is wanting to push for migration rights to Bali and as incentive they have decided to waive the usual restrictions.hehe.
Can’t believe, I rang a friend to break the News * DOH! *
You heard about this too ?.
I don’t know how well received the small print about Indonesia annexing Queensland will be though !.
They will have to fight the japanese for QLD though.
i’m probably the minority here. if you guys have so much problem with the fact that bali is part of the indonesian republic, maybe don’t go there at all? there’s fiji, noumea, french polynesia, etc to go to if you have that much of a problem with indonesia. just a thought…
it is just unbelievable.
i REALLY hope its an APRIL’S FOOL JOKE!!
can somebody please tell me its a joke??
Ivy–the places you list cost mucho buckos (Yank ones at that) to visit and while cost isn’t the only reason to visit Bali, it’s a pretty big factor for many of us “guys”.
or here’s another thought ivy…don’t take things too seriously…
i know that it’s an april fool joke :). as an american, one thing that i love about going to bali is actually the balinese people. if bali is part of australia, i’m sure there’s going to be a big number of australians that will move and reside in bali, and in my opinion, bali will lose that ‘balinese charm’. no offense.
To Iola: DOH
I think this is great news! I think Australia will add to the infrastructure in Bali,as long as it goes both ways and Balinese get the same benifts as Australians(and on this note Balinese should have the same full rights as Australians ,just like Puerto Ricans and Virgen Islanders have with the USA as citizens)
Apart from Bali,I think East Timor,The Solomon Islands,Papua New Guinea(and on this note WestIran Jayan should be part of Papua New Guinea as one island,they do not even want to be part of Indonesia)and others should follow like the Norkfolk Islands .
i know that it’s an april fool joke . as an american, one thing that i love about going to bali is actually the balinese people. if bali is part of australia, i’m sure there’s going to be a big number of australians that will move and reside in bali, and in my opinion, bali will lose that ‘balinese charm’. no offense.
I think it would be the other way around more Balinese would move to Australia ,that is why they do not give them full citizen rights,and also claim under Australian law the same benifts.
As an Ameircan you should know,when Puerto Rico became a USA commonwealth did massive number of Americans move to Puerto Rico? No,But half of the
island moved to the USa mainland and the other half is collecting US welfare and not payig taxes because they are a commonwealth and not a state,so you won and who lost?
I think this is good news cause now if the Muslims try to invade Bali or put a bomb or other terrorist attacks like they have previously done on Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia,when Bali becomes part of Australai if they do so they would be attacking Autralia and the Autralian military has every right to interfer.
This and as it becomes part of Australia the JAvanes muslim military will leave and Jakarta have no power over the island.
Japan annouced that it was going to become part of China.
LOL ,so is South Korea,Mongolia and Western Russia(Siberia)
There will be a point where you aussies are going to have the Chinese right on your border
HELLO!
This is for REAL ,IT IS NOT A JOKE,
I have copied and pasted it from another sourse the Indonesian World and Tourism News,why would another website have the same story,specially a reputable website and look at the date it is not April 1,but April 3 ,so it is no April Fool’s day unless April Fool’s is on April 3
Bali to become part of Australia
April 3rd, 2006
Australian Prime Minister John Howard has announced today that Bali will become part of Australia. The ground breaking news was aired at a special news conference in Canberra today. A clearly excited Mr Howard told journalists, that over a year of backroom negotiations had gone on between Canberra and Jakarta, over the future status of the island.
Bali, the largely Hindu province of Indonesia, has long been a favourite with Australian holidaymakers. The terrorist bombings of 2002 and 2005 have had a huge impact on both the local people and the Australian public. Said Mr Howard, “We knew it was time to do something about it.” “Australians feel a special affinity with the Balinese and vice versa.” “It is our hope that making Bali a part of Australia will help the island to move forward into the 21st Century,
with improved services, education and healthcare.”
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also attended the meeting. Mr Downer commented on the important event “Today we are welcoming Bali into our country. Even I can smile at this.” Mr Downer explained that while Bali is still a part of Indonesia, the island will become a ‘Special State of Australia’ as of Jan 1st 2007. Australians will no longer need passports and visas to visit Bali, and Balinese people will have limited visitation rights in Australia.
Entry Filed under: Indonesia & Bali Tourism News
if you do not belive me check it out yourself at:
http://indonesia-tourism.com/news/2006/04/03/bali-to-become-part-of-australia/
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