Democracy

[Simmo W]

In a short queue to vote for our marvellous candidates in australia's mercifully short federal election campaign (only 1 month!). rather be firing up the Duchy, but a good excuse to get a coffee! Australia is lucky to have a pretty effective democracy, you are free to vote for any crap party you'd like!

[MaidenFan]

In the states it's: Republicans vs. Democrats, or as I know it: Brown shit vs. Green shit. They both do the same amount of harm.

[Ben Russell]

In Australia you can have Chicken or Beef with your choice of spices.

[Simmo W]

Hehe, and you get foodcourt gastro for the next 3yrs

[Beej]

It's great.... I have lived my life (so far) in a few countries and the thing that many find perplexing about Australia is "compulsory voting".  I find "non-compulsory" voting just as weird.....  Plus, it's usually a great opportunity to buy a few cakes and support the local primary school!

B.

[MaidenFan]

Just out of curiosity, what made you start this topic?

[Simmo W]

Ironic, freedom of speech. Aussies sometimes don't realise how lucky we are, although like most countries, the choices are often not exactly perfect. Americans have presidential election campaigns of, what is it, say roughly a year, with all the buildup? I'm over it after a month

[Ben Russell]

A live poll feedback system would be FAR more useful.

Who knows, maybe after we're done pissing 34 billion away we might figure it out.

(subsidized faster access now is  more useful than the government building Telecom 1.5)

[Kesomir]

It's great.... I have lived my life (so far) in a few countries and the thing that many find perplexing about Australia is "compulsory voting".  I find "non-compulsory" voting just as weird.....  Plus, it's usually a great opportunity to buy a few cakes and support the local primary school!

B.

With compulsory voting you get a lot of people spoiling ballot papers, at least with non-compulsory voting people aren't forced to take the time out to do so.

I appreciate the freedom of being able to excercise the right not to vote when none of the options on offer represent you - would be even better if no-one got in if the majority was 'no-vote'

[Beej]

Hi Kesomir,

You're right of course, many people would feel that way if given the "choice".  Our "informal" vote hovers around 1-2% but in the election where we have just had where people are generally quite disillusioned it pushed up to 5% in some electorates - an historic high.  It's interesting psychology since this has always been our system we accept it for its positives rather than the "loss of freedom" that it theoretically represents - the democratic right not to exert your democratic right!!!! Ironic!  I'm certain that if we had a non-compulsory voting system and had a referendum to change it to "compulsory" the proposal would not have a hope of passing.  As  I said, interesting national psychology...

Beej

[Ben Russell]

How about we ban political ads and make them use the budget to pay people to turn up and vote instead of threatening to fine them if they don't.

That way we save taxes, get more voters, and get a free dinner on election day.

[Beej]

How about we ban political ads and make them use the budget to pay people to turn up and vote instead of threatening to fine them if they don't.

That way we save taxes, get more voters, and get a free dinner on election day.

Now, that's a positive! 

.... if we keep the ads then maybe we could mandate that they only have policies in them, that way there wouldnt be too many....