New Questions:
Would you like to have our own forum in Australia/NZ region?
How many of you already have regular meetings with other bitcoiners?
What else would you like to see in the community?
Would you consider buying anything with your bitcoins in an online store operated in Australia/NZ?
Sure, an Australia and New Zealand forum would be interesting and it might allow local considerations to get more prominence that the usual US-centric 'paranoia with authority' topics that populate bitcointalk.
Haven't attended a meeting, I'm open to the possibility but in general terms I don't think that Bitcoin Foundation is handling itself well, so that last thing I want to do is support a puppet foundation in this part of the world.
I'd like to see less antagonism in the community about the role of governments in society. Governments exist, they have an important role to play, they were here before we were born and they'll be here after we die. And no, I don't want some form of utopian anarchist nightmare - as a philosophy it doesn't work in print and it won't work in practice.
Yes, I'd consider spending bitcoins on competitively priced goods or services. That's the key; too often retailers who accept bitcoins add a hefty premium above the fiat price and people aren't stupid, they can find out a comparative fiat price with a few clicks. Bitcoins aren't just a currency, they're also a store of value and with bitcoin retailers just marking up costs because they accept bitcoin as a method of payment, well, I perceive that as price-gouging at best and thievery at worst. Over-charging me on products I can buy cheaper elsewhere is not retailers providing a 'service to the community', they're ripping the community off. It's time more people woke up and smelt the coffee, many bitcoin retailers overcharge on price and under-deliver on service. Another important point to note at this time with the BTC/USD rate being near USD$500 is that as Bitcoin is one of the best performing asset classes this year, many people are hording their coins expecting further increases in value, so any retailers would also need to offer their products for fiat as many people are reluctant to spend their BTC. As a matter of preference, whatever the BTC price, I'd like the opportunity to pay in fiat also.
*flips two cents and walks away*