AUSTRALIA has been urged to launch a joint bid with New Zealand for the FIFA World Cup with leaders suggesting Melbourne play a chief role in luring the showpiece Down Under for the first time. 
An Australia-NZ World Cup bid would see Melbourne host the World Cup final and matches shared with Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Auckland and Christchurch.
The bold bid follows the success of last year's Cricket World Cup in Australia and NZ, responsible for more than $1.1 billion in direct spending in both nations.
Sport, political and industry experts have backed the call, suggesting the country should forget about hosting the Olympics in the near future and focus on soccer.
Japan and South Korea shared the 2002 World Cup, strengthening the case for a joint bid. Major events king Ron Walker estimated it would cost $60-70 million to bid for the World Cup.He said a cautious approach was necessary after Australia's disastrous bid for the 2022 tournament, which scored one vote and cost taxpayers $43 million. "If you are going to bid for it you need a crack committee, honorary people, high-profile people who actually know how to win," he said.