This story is from our news.com.au network Source: AAP 

Stop being mean to Aussies, Kiwis told·       From correspondents in Auckland

·       March 05, 2007

WHILE New Zealanders may have had just cause to taunt their trans-Tasman counterparts over underarm bowling and Phar Lap's origins, enough is enough, say New Zealand tourism authorities

A new marketing campaign has been launched to get New Zealanders to be more friendly to Australian tourists and to tone down their insults.

Tourism New Zealand chief George Hickton said the taunts had not shown up in surveys as a major issue, but he thought they could go too far.

"We rib each other, there is no doubt about it. We know no one wants to get ribbing the whole time," Mr Hickton said.

"I have heard it (taunts) said and thought people should back off," he said.

The New Zealand Herald newspaper has dubbed the campaign "Be-Nice-to-Australians month".

But it is no laughing matter for tour operators.

Australia is New Zealand's biggest tourism market, with 900,000 visitors a year, and a drop in numbers would hurt business.

Mr Hickton said the aim of the new campaign, which kicked off about a week ago with TV ads in Australia, was to encourage Australians to visit New Zealand at all times of the year.

He said many Australians still thought of New Zealand as a sleepy place for much of the time, but it had world-class dining, festivals and wines.

The campaign suggested Australians should feel right at home in New Zealand at this time of the year because the country's South island was pretty much "green and gold" itself.

Yep, That takes care of the Kiwi's

Now we have to find a way to keep the POMEs in line

Starting March 16th I guess we will just have to tharsh them again lol

Well the Kiwis got thrashed by Bangladesh. U can try Pom bashing...we are used to it. Occasionally we get moments of satisfaction....the world's most boring Prime Minister, Wallace, my daughter choosing NZ over Aus, the fact that we tend to keep quiet about our achievements (!).........small but satisfying.

Yes Gav the kiwi's should nice to us even when we beat them!!!!

900,000 Aussies come to NZ every year? **** that's a lot! But if any of you have ever been to Oz you will understand why, it's basically a giant desert speckled with sheep and empty VB cans.

Punisher : and destitute kiwi shearers lol in clapped out Valients

Anenglishman: POME bashing Kiwi bashing Oz bashing is all in GOOD fun if not good taste Abuse is not. This is ment to be fun, not Abuse. The World Cup is about to start so, its time to have some International fun :-)

Dave40: Yep Besides it used to be known as NSW before it became NZ :-)