Mate, America gave me the best motorsport in the world (sprintcar /midget racing and the chevy, v8 engine ! but, that 's where it ends. There's some fabulous places in the world (knoxville , iowa ) and Kurri Kurri motorcycle speedway . But as we know , one needs to leave Australia to be a star? Be it motorsport or acting or whatever? But, i still call Australia home .

USA USA oi oi oi

good heavens above!

Hear hear Barry! 1st and 2nd ammendment rights for all, the sooner the better. Sooks who bang on about the power of free speech alone should remember that Washington didn't write letters to Newspapers to defeat the British - he shot them.

It would have been excellent. We would be forced to make our own way, invent our own stuff, be come resposnibloe for our own actions.

I remember seeing an interview with Muddy Waters. He thanked a group of english lads for bringing black music to white America. Barry Thomas's letter is a slap in the face for every innovator or creative non American talent, world wide. Don't forget they also gave us unreasonable fear of communisim and Islam, not to mention 500 dead Australian kids in the rice paddies of indo-china. And we are still counting the cost of our loyalty to our "great and powerful" friend. I for one would be pleased to have lived in an Australia free from American influence. Looking forward to the day!

"Bettered" - don't forget that the US military invented the internet. I assume you will be happy to hang up your keyboard to protest the terrible American influence on our culture?

I don't watch US shows... I watch the wondertful comedy, drama and documentary programs that come from the UK.

We don't have enough Australian content on TV.

Barry, keep Americans employed all you like.

Scott, as hard as you try to make me feel like a hypocrite, you can't, because in my opinion you conservatives have cornered the market.

I'm not anti-American, as you might think. I'm just one of a generation of Australians who powerlessly stood by as my country moved from "God save the king/queen" to "Star spangled banner". Somewhere in between we lost a great country whose people understood and lived by the principles of "a fair go". There was a time when I was proud to be an Australian. Now I spend my day searching for a country that will take me in as a political refugee. God rest Australia!