Great sight with the fireworks over Sydney Harbour but the first party of 2009 was in Auckland, NZ 2 hours earlier... The Sky Tower and Auckland Sky was lit up by as many fireworks..

While Sydney may be the first "major" city to celebrate New Year - the first party of 2009 would have been seen by New Zealand. Perhaps you should check timeanddate.com - you will see Australia is number 6 to see in a New Year. Sydney however (having lived there) do the best fireworks I have ever seen in my life however NZ did see 2009 before its neighbours.

Having live in Sydney and visited New Zealand I know which I prefer.

What you need to understand is that people in England generally have an affinity for Australia but have no opinion, knowledge or desire to know anything about New Zealand. It isn't relevant and many would struggle to find it on a map. Fact.

'What you need to understand is that people in England generally have an affinity for Australia but have no opinion'

thats deep, bob, deeeeeeep. too deep for me.

Audenshaw Bob has obviously missed the point but given his offensive comments about NZ it is hardly surprising. The point of the comments was to explain that the article was technically incorrect not to have small minded people cast small minded comments. I am English by birth and people like you disappoint me - you are welcome Sydney we wouldn't have you in NZ.

What's offensive about Bob's comments, JGZ?

Anyway, Australia or New Zealand? There's only one way to find out. Fiiiiiight...

What's offensive about my comments? I love Sydney and most other places in Australia.

As for New Zealand Queenstown was OK but just like a boring place in our Lake District. I didn't like Christchurch at all and didn't care much for anything on North Island. That is how I felt when I was there and is the memory I still have. Why is that offensive? Am I supposed to pretend I like everything?

My cousin is Australian and he says he doesn't like Manchester. I am not offended by that. It's persoanl choice.

Just as if I go into the pub tonight if evry woman in there doesn't fancy me should I be offended?

As for New Zealand's interest to the people of the UK it is not even in the top thirty. We take an interest in the USA, Europ, Middle East, SE Asia and Australia. New Zealnd isn't relevant. That is not offensive, just fact.

Anyway, whilst we are on about being offensive you have retorted with 'small minded people with small minded comments'. Is that not offensive?

Anyway sunshine I am not small minded. I have visited New Zealand and lived in Australia so my view is based on experience, not through reading an Atlas.

These are the places I have visited that I like:

Lhasa (Tibet), Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, USA, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Bhutan, Nepal, Italy, Switzerland, Ibiza, Mexico, Czech Republic, Holland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Thailand, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, India, Lagos, Columbia.

These are the places that I didn't like all that much:

Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Belgium, Majorca, Canaries, France, New Zealand, Belize, Estonia, Ireland, Greece.

Sorry if my not liking these places offended anyone from there. As you can see I am small minded and don't get out much.