Firstly, i don't think we are a 'part of' Asia.
Australia (due to be renamed once the Flag is changed...because we won't be 'south' of anyone else who are held above our own self worth) is the mainland 'island' you could say, of Oceania and of all the regions of the world, Oceania and Asia are geographically one of the most distant, in terms of relationship.
Its like saying Africa should be 'South Europe or South Middle-East'.
There are those that live by the term 'Australasia' to describe this part of the world, but in truth, this word really belongs to the Indo/Malay part of the world: South Asia.
If all things are equal, just like we try to treat everyone with equality, then the Australasia would make Asia become Borealasia ...but we know Asians prefer to just remain Asia, as they should.
The term Australasia (South Asia) is about as culturally true a description as the word Gaol in the Daily Telegragh ...except that they spell it 'Jail' (get my continental drift )
As for Bali? Well there are a fair number of Australians who have an interest in Asia and Bali is a close enough taste of it.
Others tend to visit Mauritius, if they can afford it, while others visit Fiji and don't mind if the Military there have more power than Polititians (especially insecure Australian ones who label them as Dictators, because they would rather fight for Greenpeace, than for Political issues.). I myself visit New Zealand as often as I can because their Tourism Industry is the best in the world.
Some say I am wrong.
That Oceania is the region of the world that sweeps from the Silver Fern of New Zealand to the Silverado of Central America/Caribbean. I can see the 'cultural' connection and I always keep this in mind.
Maybe I percieve Australia (PNG) being a part of Oceania in 'difference' to those who see Australia as being part of Asia.
...maybe Australia (PNG) belong to a yet 'unnamed' 8th cultural region of the world somewhere 'near' Asia and Oceania ?
"Oh look everybody! Its the lost continent of Atlantis." Or as Issaac Asimov once wrote of those people that just don't breed as well as everyone else and harbour the act of 'isolationism' (current trend of Australians stating that 'we cannot support a population greater than 35 milion') ..."the Solarians".

shampain socialist wrote on Jun 29^th, 2010 at 10:52pm:


it's different to what the situation you said above now. you may realize that there are only a few japanese comparing to their population to other asia-pacific counties. it's because their nation has high quality of life and more important, that it is nearly for sure the quality can be kept for many years. but look at other asia-pacific countries. they become richer and richer, but not stable enough. people come here are not simply escaped from poverty or difficulties as before. really a lot of people come here for some kind of insurance. they travel several times per year back to home country, also send their children back to study. after got residency or passport, then going back to continue their own life. but as i said, those are only part of all, people has different backgound may think in different way. but the trend is changing in these years.

It_is_the_Darkness wrote on Jun 29^th, 2010 at 10:57pm:


from my understanding, australia is definitely an western country. no worries to this. i think the theory that australia is part of asia is only some politicians diplomatical strategy. question is do you still think you are colonial country or some sort of republic? do you still have much feeling with britain or the queen? to be honest, any thing about that old lady is the worst thing i don't like here.

shampain socialist wrote on Jun 29^th, 2010 at 11:15pm:


i can not say to send child back for education is common case now. but a few do that. another interesting u can see here, if any public school provide multicultral education with 2nd or 3rd languages, that one will be very popular. lots of asian family will pay a lot to buy properties around this kind of schools.

to me, it seems like Japan has a parliamentary system now, but it does not have that history, whereas Australia has a British Parliamentary system. I'm not sure why it operates like that in Japan. To me, Japan has a history of a monarchy without the parliament, where Britain had a monarch with a parliament for many hundreds of years now, where the monarch does not have much power at all.
Still many labor voters in Australia today remember that the Governor General kicked out the labor government back then, but it is getting old now and younger people don't really know. But - the law is still there, and it can happen again. Many people want it to stay that way, just in case there is a bad government. President may not have that sort of power anyway, so some people want it to stay the way it is.