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A survey shows that while we might have an all round better quality of life if we merged with Australia, most of us want to stay separate from our mates across the ditch.
The first-ever Trans-Tasman poll, commissioned by TVNZ's Q+A programme asked if New Zealand should become Australia's seventh state.
However one former foreign affairs minister says merging is inevitable. Sir Don McKinnon believes union is only a matter of time.
"No political leader in New Zealand is going to win an election advocating this issue...I believe it's inevitable but it's probably the next generation and it's going to be driven by people," says McKinnon.
Labour leader Phil Goff questions why New Zealanders would be prepared to be swallowed up by Australia. "Most of us are proud of our national identity," he says.
In the poll of 1000 people from both sides of the ditch, 71% of Kiwis replied with a resounding no while 52% of Aussies also weren't keen on the idea of NZ becoming a state of Australia.
But many New Zealanders think our economy would be better off if we united, greatly outnumbering those who think we would fare worse.
Politicians from both countries say we should be focussing on closer economic union for now.
"If the countries of Europe, which spent most of the 20th century fighting one another, are able to have a common currency how much easier should it be to have one across the ditch," says Sunshine Coast Liberal MP Peter Slipper.
McKinnon says Australia represents 20% of export trade and 20% of imports. "They have a huge influence on our economy and it is important that we eliminate all the barriers we can to better economic activity," he says.
And despite Kiwi opposition to becoming one with Australia, 41% of New Zealanders polled say let's keep talking about it.
