If you hate Donald Trump, Australia might take you

"Come to Australia where 80 percent of people think he's a jerk."
 By 
Johnny Lieu
 on 
If you hate Donald Trump, Australia might take you
If Donald Trump becomes U.S. president, an Australian councillor wants you to move Down Under. Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

There has certainly been a lot of talk about Americans wanting to move to a different country if Republican tycoon Donald Trump becomes president of the United States.

Much of the talk has been about moving to Canada, an easy escape up north with the bonus of dreamy Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, or far flung places such as New Zealand, where the healthcare is free and the scenery is beautiful.


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Yet none of these countries have yet to actually extend a hand to exasperated Americans who really, really don't want a Trump presidency. 

Australian councillor and journalist Stephen Mayne is changing that, by filing a motion to help encourage U.S. companies to move their headquarters to Melbourne, Australia. The motion will be debated by the city's council on Tuesday night.

"Why would you want to live in a country where so many people think Donald Trump is good? Come to Australia where 80 percent of people think he's a jerk," Mayne told The Age.

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Melbourne's Yarra River. Credit: De Agostini/Getty Images

Maybe's submission points out that a Trump U.S. presidency could be a boon for equivalent economies like Australia.

"Whilst Trump's rise clearly represents a threat to world peace and stability, it also creates opportunities for stable, peace-loving, US-aligned, English speaking countries such as Australia," Mayne writes in his submission.

The passing of the motion will allow the council's Future Melbourne Committee to authorise a councillor to write to 15 of the largest U.S. based companies urging them to make their move to the city -- excluding weapons manufacturers, gambling companies and large carbon emitters. 

"We are home to people from more than 200 countries, who speak 260 languages and dialects and practice 135 religious faiths -- all living harmoniously together," the submission adds.

The city also boasts a high number of international students at its universities, featuring world-class sporting infrastructure and a lot of free space in the Docklands area to set up, as highlighted in Mayne's submission.

A perfect city for companies "who don't fancy retaining their global headquarters in a country led by someone as embarrassing and offensive as Donald Trump," according to the submission.

Did we mention that Melbourne is an excellent city for nightlife, and possesses some really good coffee too? If you hate Trump, come quick.

UPDATE: May 4, 2016, 10:56 a.m. AEST Mayne's motion was "narrowly defeated" on Tuesday night by one vote, he announced on Twitter.

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Topics Donald Trump

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Johnny Lieu

Mashable Australia's Web Culture Reporter.Reach out to me on Twitter at @Johnny_Lieu or via email at jlieu [at] mashable.com

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