End compulsory voting

[R Chee Manning]

Yes because voluntary voting leads to good competent political systems.

The fact that voting is compulsory means parties actually have to target the centre as opposed to simply appealing to their bases like in the US etc.

Pauline Hanson's One Nation appeals to the centre? Since when? Fraser Anning's Party appeals to the centre? Really?

The Greens don't appeal to the centre...

As for the US... Neville Chamberlain summed it up best.

In the USA there are two partys. The Republicans who are very much like the conservatives in the UK. They believe in free enterprise and individual freedom.
Then there are the Democrats who are also very much like the conservatives in the UK. They believe in free enterprise and individual freedom.

 

[R Chee Manning]

. Least I can freely vote w***ers out here.

But that's the problem with the Australian system...

It's all about who you don't want... and voting against people... and voting people out...

It's all about voting for the least disliked.

Not the best person for the job.

 

[Patrick Bullet]

What a rubbish thread. The OP is simultaneously bitching about how the country is run and having to vote in an election which is all about deciding how the country should be run.

 

[footyfan1978]

But that's the problem with the Australian system...

It's all about who you don't want... and voting against people... and voting people out...

It's all about voting for the least disliked.

Not the best person for the job.

I know. It is exactly how I vote. I figure out whom I least want in and make them last and work my way up to someone getting default vote as 1 on the sheet.
That is the problem It is a bloody good problem to have. Other nations have far far worse. Thank **** I not somewhere else. It is exactly why I bother. I appreciate our problem being minor compared to truly ****ed up nations.

 

[R Chee Manning]

What a rubbish thread. The OP is simultaneously bitching about how the country is run and having to vote in an election which is all about deciding how the country should be run.

Ummm? Where have I criticised how the country is run?

Go back - read again... I have not been critical of the Government...

merely the voting process...

 

[R Chee Manning]

I know. It is exactly how I vote. I figure out whom I least want in and make them last and work my way up to someone getting default vote as 1 on the sheet.
That is the problem It is a bloody good problem to have. Other nations have far far worse. Thank **** I not somewhere else. It is exactly why I bother. I appreciate our problem being minor compared to truly ****** up nations.

No wonder you end up with such mediocre politicians in your country.

No wonder you've had eight Prime Ministers in ten years.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Thread title was exactly what I asked when I rocked up to my polling booth today and there was no sausage sizzle.

Stood there in line wondering why did I bother. No snag is no good.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

Ummm? Where have I criticised how the country is run?

Go back - read again... I have not been critical of the Government...

merely the voting process...

Which you know very little about

You still have this ****-eyed idea that someone forces you to vote, they don't, you do it voluntarily

 

[footyfan1978]

No wonder you end up with such mediocre politicians in your country.

No wonder you've had eight Prime Ministers in ten years.

Could be worse. Could have George Bush, or Trump or Putin, or God help us Mugabe types.

 

[R Chee Manning]

Which you know very little about

You still have this ****-eyed idea that someone forces you to vote, they don't, you do it voluntarily

Well... when I studied politics at UQ I was taught that voting was compulsory in Australia... I guess my lecturers were wrong?

When I go into the AEC website and they say voting is compulsory in Australia I guess they are wrong too?

In Aotearoa you don't have to vote if you don't want to. Here you have to vote. You have to turn up to a polling booth (or do postal) and mark a ballot and cast a vote.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

Well... when I studied politics at UQ I was taught that voting was compulsory in Australia... I guess my lecturers were wrong?

When I go into the AEC website and they say voting is compulsory in Australia I guess they are wrong too?

In Aotearoa you don't have to vote if you don't want to. Here you have to vote. You have to turn up to a polling booth (or do postal) and mark a ballot and cast a vote.

Yes just as you are, they are wrong

You will never understand it

 

[R Chee Manning]

Could be worse. Could have George Bush, or Trump or Putin, or God help us Mugabe types.

Yeah same as Jacinda Ardern...

Everyone voted in under non-compulsory voting is pure evil.

 

[footyfan1978]

Well... when I studied politics at UQ I was taught that voting was compulsory in Australia... I guess my lecturers were wrong?

When I go into the AEC website and they say voting is compulsory in Australia I guess they are wrong too?

In Aotearoa you don't have to vote if you don't want to. Here you have to vote. You have to turn up to a polling booth (or do postal) and mark a ballot and cast a vote.

You can lead a horse to water, but cannot make them drink. You must have missed that bit in study class at UQ.

 

[R Chee Manning]

Yes just as you are, they are wrong

You will never understand it

Funny that.

So do you have anything you can cite to support your argument that voting isn't compulsory in Australia?

or nah?

 

[Baltimore Jack]

Funny that.

So do you have anything you can cite to support your argument that voting isn't compulsory in Australia?

or nah?

Yes, thousands of people do it at every election

You went to Uni, you say? Trump Uni?

 

[R Chee Manning]

You can lead a horse to water, but cannot make them drink. You must have missed that bit in study class at UQ.

Well in a democracy people can stay at home... they don't need to be 'led to water'... do you understand that basic premise?

And besides if you're arguing for the retention of compulsory voting by arguing 'you can't make them drink' isn't that defeating the purpose?

 

[R Chee Manning]

Yes, thousands of people do it at every election

You went to Uni, you say? Trump Uni?

UQ, UNSW, QUT.

If you don't vote you risk a fine do you not?

 

[footyfan1978]

Well in a democracy people can stay at home... they don't need to be 'led to water'... do you understand that basic premise?

And besides if you're arguing for the retention of compulsory voting by arguing 'you can't make them drink' isn't that defeating the purpose?

I am not arguing for anything. Just answering your origin of post of why bother. You got your answer. If you discontent with it, tough t***ies.

 

[Blue1980]

Compulsory voting avoids stupid extreme morons getting into power.

Voluntary voting is how trump and brexit happen.

If the price I have to pay is a couple of elections every 4 years (state and federal) I’m happy with that.

Libs would just go alt right if there was voluntary voting.

 

[footyfan1978]

UQ, UNSW, QUT.

If you don't vote you risk a fine do you not?

I did not vote in 1999 state election. Went to footy. Was not fined...

 

[R Chee Manning]

Compulsory voting avoids stupid extreme morons getting into power.

Voluntary voting is how trump and brexit happen.

If the price I have to pay is a couple of elections every 4 years (state and federal) I’m happy with that.

Libs would just go alt right if there was voluntary voting.

Jacinda Ardern is a stupid extreme moron?

 

[R Chee Manning]

I did not vote in 1999 state election. Went to footy. Was not fined...

So you admit there is a risk of a fine if you don't vote.

Hmmm...

Sounds like compulsory voting to me.

It's compulsory to wear a seatbelt in this country. The fact that I drove once without wearing a seatbelt and didn't get caught, doesn't make it any less compulsory.

 

[Vindicater]

Voting is incredibly over-rated in this country...

I just went down to the local scout hall and waited for about 15 mins to vote...

Clearly most of the people there voting did not want to be there...

The nerdy party volunteers and sentimentally-minded AEC workers were getting all teary-eyed as were the people jingoistically cooking 'democracy sausages'...

But as for the rest of us... most obviously just thought it a hassle...



Online voluntary voting should be the way of the future... for those who can be bothered.

Or you know. You could give a **** about your country

 

[R Chee Manning]

Or you know. You could give a **** about your country

What difference does my vote make?

Let's not get all sentimental about things...

Most people couldn't be bothered...

 

[A Cut Above]

I think Australians are very cruisey about democracy for the most part because ours has never been particularly threatened.

Yes that might be one reason, another could be that more and more people are becoming disenfranchised and feel they are being represented poorly by elected officials.

If the electorate perceives the quality of candidates and those leading their parties to be poor across the board, or that the army of Canberra lobbyists are effectively rendering the needs of those who can't afford to purchase their services irrelevant, why should the general population work up more than a minimal amount of enthusiasm for a choice they feel won't substantially affect their lives?