It reminds me of that Madonna song, “We’ve Only Got Four Minutes to Save the World”.

A few weeks back, Telecommunications Users Association (Tuanz) boss Ernie Newman met for 40 minutes with Don Brash.

The former Reserve Bank Governor was canvassing Ernie’s opinion on broadband, one of many topics he must tackle as head of the government’s Productivity Taskforce - charged with finding ways to close our income gap with Australia by 2025.

Raising productivity and closing the income gap is “clearly the biggest economic challenge New Zealand is facing,” said Dr Brash.

Yet the one-time leader of the opposition has the littlest of budgets.

Ernie was shocked to learn Dr Brash’s five-man taskforce has only enough money for four days’ of meetings this year.

Hmmn. My conspiracy theory is that so little’s being spent because the government’s true policy is not to catch up with Australia, but stage a full-scale merger. I’m joking, of course. But only a little. Checkout the transtasman love from just the past couple of months:

Mobile roaming regulation
On June 25, Communications Minister Steven Joyce tells the Commerce Committee “[MED] officials are working closely with their Australian counterparts on the possibility of trans-Tasman regulatory cooperation with respect to mobile roaming between here and Australia. I raised that issue with Senator Conroy when I met with him earlier this year—the issue of roaming charges between Australia and New Zealand. We’re going to work together on that.” [UPDATE: Report hints at NZ-Aust mobile roaming regulation.]

Joint cabinet meeting
On August 22, the first ever Australia/New Zealand joint cabinet meeting is held. On the agenda: unifying commercial law, reducing travel barriers and integrating investment regimes.

Hygiene
On September 25, with both prime ministers in New York, Kevin Rudd invites a stranded John Key to use his bathroom.

Geology
On July 22, a so-called earthquake literally closes the gap, moving the West Coast 30cm closer to Australia.

Search for intelligent life
On August 21, Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee makes the formal announcement that New Zealand would join Australia's bid for the $3.1 billion Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project - a collection of 5000 radio telescope dishes that will monitor the heavens (and earth). Each dish costs around $2 million. We’ll be building around 60 (Read: ET phone Anzacs).

Anzac dollar
Two days later, John Key tells TV1’s Q&A, when asked about the merit of a common Australasian currency: "I have always been of the view that it is actually a mildly sensible idea."

Anzac Anzacs
On September 30, Defence Minister Wayne Mapp and his Australian counterpart Senator John Faulkner announced the NZDF and ADF will form a Pacific-focused Rapid Reaction Force.

I could go on: travel between the two countries is being made easier (a boon for visiting your New Zealand head office ... in Sydney); the Wallabies have a Kiwi coach, and a growing number of New Zealanders think it's acceptable to watch Rove. Me, I'm not changing the channel.