Theywill say all the right things when it does not mean anything to them but will never cut us slack in terms of how they treat ex-Kiwis who have lived and worked in their country for many years, some for virtually their whole lifetimes.
Who are the fools here? In their eyes there is no NZ in Anzac and there has not been for many a year except perhaps in our military forces when it suits them.
Our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is right to race it up their prime minister as often as possible.
They see us and feel guilty about their abhorrent race policies, jealous about our sporting ability and keen to steal anything or anyone from this country who will make them look good on the world stage.
Right or wrong, NZ was colonised by free British, European and Asian peoples by choice.
Australia initially received the dregs of British society not wanted in their own country. It still shows in some of their politicians.
Australia does have a right to get rid of non-Australian criminals, we follow the same policy.
We export Pacific Island citizens back to their home countries after they serve time here for serious crimes committed while they were in New Zealand, 400 in the last five years.
Where Australia is overly harsh is when they kick out petty criminals and unconvicted people judged as "people of bad character" as well.
These people arrive in New Zealand, many having left it as babies or small children; many have no or few family connections here any more.
They talk and think Australian, they love rugby league and cricket far more than New Zealanders do, they were raised, educated and cared for at the Australian taxpayers' expense and are New Zealanders only by accident of birth.
With many of these so-called "501s" already committed and hardened criminals it is obvious that, without the family or whānau support they require in this country they will gravitate towards the criminal underbelly here, bringing with them a whole set of transtasman criminal networks.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern meets the Australian Prime MInister Scott Morrison. Photo / file
Where a New Zealand Government of whatever hue is naïve is in thinking that we matter more to Australia than we really do.
Australia's Government looks eastwards to the United States.
It dearly wants to become the best friends of the Americans and possibly perhaps one day, in its wildest shiraz moments, becoming a state or three of the Land of the Free.
Australian politicians could never understand New Zealand's attitude to the nuclear-free thing.
Even though New Zealand has a long way to go, they laugh at our Treaty settlement process and our wish for reconciliation between our two largest cultures, damaged by the wrongs of the past, real or imagined.
They blindly follow Uncle Sam and his policies, hoping to gain favour with the world's biggest economy.
Guys like Dutton and Morrison could not really give a fig about what is good for New Zealand.
They are playing a bigger game and regard us as bunnies to say the least.
They like to pull the so-called Anzac strings when they want something and are willing to give us easy assistance like firefighters, etc, in time of national disaster, as we are quick to do for them, but anything involving heavy politics they regards as above our "need to know or be involved" status.
We are Australia's poor country cousin and the sooner we get our heads around that the better.
I like seeing Ardern popping over to Australia to give Morrison an earful every so often.
At least it reminds him of what we think of his policies, if he really cares. Ardern's star power in that country means that Morrison has to suck it up and smile.
While saying all of the above, I quite like the West Island.
It is a beautiful country whose people we have more in common with than any other on this planet.
I enjoy their cricket team although they do take sledging to a new low.
I enjoy the friendly banter in cafes and bars between Aussies and Kiwis about misbehaving with sheep and chain-marks on the ankles.
When we travel overseas Aussies and Kiwis gravitate towards each other and are quick to care for each other.
I think, as people, we do really like each other and enjoy each other's company but as nations we are sadly drifting apart.
Inevitable really as both countries mature as First World economies.
We are no longer mates going off to war together watching each other's backs with a shared colonial outlook on the world.
