Australia's Prime Minister got a sample of how passionately pugnacious some Brits have become over the upcoming referendum on the UK's European Union membership. PM Malcolm Turnbull says our UK cousins should stay in the continental union.

But UK Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell - who favored a "Brexit" - has attacked Mr Turnbull for backing the "Remain" campaign.  

"Come on Malcolm, when are you going to do your political union with Indonesia or Japan?" Mr. Rosindell said in an interview with the ABC, invoking an apples-and-oranges comparison of the UK's European next-door neighbors with Australia and some of the widely geographically distributed nations along the Pacific Rim.  "When are you going to have free movement with Asia?  This is ridiculous, Australia would never countenance signing away permanent legal power over its rules, its laws, its traditions, to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region," he added.  Rosindell also claims that Aussies and others from what he calls the "Anglosphere" of nations face delays in getting visas approved because Europeans can come in visa-free. 

But PM Turnbull points out that he is on board with US President Barack Obama, as well as the PMs of Canada and New Zealand, and many others who share the opinion that continued EU membership brings many benefits to Britain and its allies. 

"It is to our advantage if Britain is part of the EU," PM Turnbull told reporters earlier this week.  "They are part of a big market and they're a good friend to have there."  Many observors say that trade and travel would be adversely impacted, because one-stop shopping deals reached with Brussels are good across the EU.  But if the UK pulls out, lengthy negotiations would have to take place to achieve replacement agreements.