Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
2 down, one to go. Murdoch must be fuming.
Looks like the Greens and the Teal will hold balance of power
Well done Australia, you've had clowns like Abbott and Morrison. Hopefully you've seen the light
Looks like the Greens and the Teal will hold balance of power
Well done Australia, you've had clowns like Abbott and Morrison. Hopefully you've seen the light
I see no issue with it
But you will now need photo ID to vote in the UK. About 2m have no passport / driving licence
Yes, there will be a way to get photo, but many just won't bother.
We now have voter suppression plus the government now controls the electoral commission.
We really are asleep what they're doing to us....
We don't seem to stick with the same party for long periods of time. I found this hard to get used to but now I think I like it.Looks like the Greens and the Teal will hold balance of power
Well done Australia, you've had clowns like Abbott and Morrison. Hopefully you've seen the light
Absolutely a BIG NO from me. Firstly MPs have the right to abstain in parliament votes so why should the electorate not have the same right. Equally I don't agree with Police Crime Commissioners being voted on as it politicises the police - so I don't vote in those elections ( although I vote in all others ) - I'd be mighty pissed off if I had to vote in an election I didn't agree with.
I might just stretch to agreeing with compulsory voting if there was a 'None of the Above' option but even then I'd be very uncomfortable forcing people to do something they don't wish to do.
There are many things you have to do, with a fine as a consequence of not complying. I believe the fine for not voting is $20, just over £10, compare that to not parking within the lines, not buying a TV Licence, not paying Road Tax or registering the car as off the road, not sending your kids to school, not using a bin to dispose of litter, not picking your dog shit up, etc. You may think these are all avoidable, but do you know anyone without any of car, dog, kids, TV?
Those who may be thinking they can dodge voting in the Federal Election today should consider that it will set you back up to $222 and even a court appearance.
Voting has been compulsory in Australia for people aged 18 and above since 1924, and not voting is a violation of section 245 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act.
Failing to vote attracts a fine of $20, but the cost could grow if that amount isn't paid.
A spokesperson from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) previously told Yahoo Finance Australia that ignoring the $20 penalty could see the matter land you in court and, without a valid excuse, you could be hit with a $222 fine plus court fees.
Now add that to the bullshit of compulsory voting of State and Council elections and these scumbags are authoritarians.
Which part of Democracy says you should be punished for not wanting to vote? They are saying it's not your vote, its theirs, they own it and you have to use it how they see fit.
Now add that to the bullshit of compulsory voting of State and Council elections and these scumbags are authoritarians.
There are many things you have to do, with a fine as a consequence of not complying. I believe the fine for not voting is $20, just over £10, compare that to not parking within the lines, not buying a TV Licence, not paying Road Tax or registering the car as off the road, not sending your kids to school, not using a bin to dispose of litter, not picking your dog shit up, etc. You may think these are all avoidable, but do you know anyone without any of car, dog, kids, TV?
But all those things are a choice to have - dog, children, TV and car. Yes, there aren't many people with none of them - although I do know one - but why should I be forced to vote just for living here - the country I was born in. Personally I'd refuse to vote if they brought it in - despite always voting in all LEs and GEs - I'd rather pay the fine - forcing people to vote is not democracy. You also avoid the issue of abstention.
I think you'll find that an Authoritarian state would prefer that you *don't* vote. Let's not confuse legal obligations enacted through democratic means with "authoritarian" regimes where legal obligations are enacted only because those in power say so.
Boris Johnson's attempts to avoid democracy having a say in Brexit through pro-roguing was closer to being authoritarian that the mandatory turning up to vote. And, at the end of the day, the Australian system doesn't force you to vote. It doesn't even force you to turn up. You still have the *choice* to not turn up in exchange for paying a pretty small $20 fine. You still have that freedom to make that choice, and by your own admission you've made that choice.
Many around the world who genuinely live in Authoritarian states don't.
I think you'll find that an Authoritarian state would prefer that you *don't* vote. Let's not confuse legal obligations enacted through democratic means with "authoritarian" regimes where legal obligations are enacted only because those in power say so.
Boris Johnson's attempts to avoid democracy having a say in Brexit through pro-roguing was closer to being authoritarian that the mandatory turning up to vote. And, at the end of the day, the Australian system doesn't force you to vote. It doesn't even force you to turn up. You still have the *choice* to not turn up in exchange for paying a pretty small $20 fine. You still have that freedom to make that choice, and by your own admission you've made that choice.
Many around the world who genuinely live in Authoritarian states don't.
How is allowing only a fraction of the people to vote more democratic than encouraging all the people to vote?
You don't mean "encouraging" you mean "forcing". Abstention is a very valid democratic option - FORCING people to vote is not.
The irony being that politicians are allowed to abstain from voting on things with no punishment but the people aren't.
You don't mean "encouraging" you mean "forcing". Abstention is a very valid democratic option - FORCING people to vote is not.
You can abstain, you just have to turn up to do so. I am not fully across the Aussie system, but I take it that your vote is private, and a politicians vote in parliament is public, and that most would agree that this difference is sensible, so a difference in the two is not necessarily a good argument to make. The politicians are also compelled to vote in the election, just as you are, I presume?
Actually Labor votes are often private too because the Labor caucus does it behind closed doors.
Just to highlight the difference in the two parties.
The Coalition participated in 96.8% of floor crossing divisions compared to Labor’s 3.1% and the Coalition accounted for 90.2% of the individual MPs who crossed the floor compared to Labor’s 9.8%
Although some ALP floor crossers have been expelled from the party and the careers of some Coalition floor crossers have suffered, floor crossing does not appear to prevent Liberal Party and Nationals MPs becoming party leaders.
So they prevent people seeing if dissenting votes exist buy doing it behind doors and then voting along party lines in public.