Where can I hide for the next eight months?

[Bushmiller]

Don't vote, it only encourages them!

I 'fell off' the electoral roll years ago and I'm not looking to get back on in a hurry!

I understand the sentiment. The only downside of opting out is that you can't really have a good bitch when the government makes a nonsense.

Regards
Paul

[Bushmiller]

My vote does not count and most of yours don't also. If you live in a safe seat like mine the incumbent party will retain no matter what. Only swing voters in marginals really matter.

Ain't dat de trufh. Except after the latest QLD debacle I suspect the Labour party will be reluctant to regard any electorate as "safe."

Regards
Paul

[Sturdee]

Ain't dat de trufh. Except after the latest QLD debacle I suspect the Labour party will be reluctant to regard any electorate as "safe."

Regards
Paul

I doubt that they are that smart for the federal health minister kept on smiling while she ripped millions out of the Victorian health budget.


Peter.

[AlexS]

My vote does not count and most of yours don't also. If you live in a safe seat like mine the incumbent party will retain no matter what. Only swing voters in marginals really matter.

Quite so. In both state & federal parliaments, I am represented by do-nothing paperweights, because I am in a safe seat. When their party is in government, we are ignored because they will be re-elected anyway; when it is in opposition, we are ignored because no matter what the government does for us, it will never get a candidate up here.

[Big Shed]

One of the many good arguments for proportional representation rather than the current feudal system inherited from dear old England.

[wheelinround]

Quite so. In both state & federal parliaments, I am represented by do-nothing paperweights, because I am in a safe seat. When their party is in government, we are ignored because they will be re-elected anyway; when it is in opposition, we are ignored because no matter what the government does for us, it will never get a candidate up here.

Your right Alex its strange tho how those do-nothing paper weights seem to enjoy the privileges the voters keep giving them for the little they seem to do.

Like the years Liverpool put up with the strong and corrupt members it had/has of the opposition side.

Fred we already have proportional thats why out laying regions of major metro regions are suffering with lack of decent public transport, decent medical, decent employment, decent roads. This isn't one state this is every state, major town and city. Now with the combining of councils into mega councils, those smaller towns are suffering even more that proportional enough for you. Got to remember if you live outside a city wall your taxes still pay for what happens with in those walls not in your own area cause you don't matter.

[A Duke]

Mind over matter.
They don't mind and we don't matter.

[artme]

Add to the list if you wish:

* No matter who you vote for a politician always wins.

* Vote 1 Guy Fawkes: the only person to enter parliament with honest intentions!!

[damian]

Ain't dat de trufh. Except after the latest QLD debacle I suspect the Labour party will be reluctant to regard any electorate as "safe."

Regards
Paul

Yes but that was extraordinary and I believe unprecedented. The biggest swing in Australian history.

Couple of observations/opinions. Worth what you paid for them...

In a democracy, assuming the elections are straight, the government is only as good as the electorate. If the people can't be bothered researching candidates and voting intelligently you get what we have got. As pointed out if you don't participate you have no right to complain.

In the 60's the PM got 1.5 the average wage. Now JG gets $400k, twice the Canadian PM and more than Obama. If you believe we are getting better politicians now then the peanuts for monkeys argument must appeal to you. I don't accept it. I have believed for a long time parliaments wages should be pegged to the national average and their super the same as the comm public service.

Tania P, the health minister is one of the most spectacular liars I have ever seen. They all play fast and loose with the truth but she will look the camera straight down and tell teh most obvious and outrageous lies. She is remarkable, literally equivalent to a 3 yo insisting they are not eating the biscuits as they stuff another into their mouths.

It helps I feel to view the whole thing as theater. Yes I know they are spending our money and making our lives harder, but we must do what we can to survive the media onslaught.

I have given our system of government much thought over the years. I have my own opinion on how to make things better but I expect no one would agree.

Optional preferential voting and voluntary voting would be a nice start. I believe the real solution is to ditch the states, establish councils based on federal seats with about 15 wards, each about 5 - 6 k voters, hold the election at fixed 3 year intervals and combine federal and local, enshrine the councils in the constitution along with the power to caucus against the feds, limit federal power and responsibility to matter of national importance, ie things an individual or reigon of councils can't do themselves, defense foreign affairs customs quarantine highways, rail, national tax collection and leave everything else to local government.

The idea is if you know where your local councilor lives, their name and face they might represent you better, or for less time and if you can see money being spent in your local area you might better understand where it's going and the limits of income.

Meh. No point, never happen...

[Robson Valley]

Need something done correctly? Get right in their faces and don't back down.
Our village Mayor has a reputation of raising political hell. He's good at it and it works.

Hey, you people have no "lock" on political shenanigans. You parked them in Canberra and all you could do is build a lake?

We parked the Feds in Ottawa, 2,500 miles east but they kept on a'coming.
So we built the Rocky Mountains to try to keep them out. Not perfect but it keeps them and most others at arm's length. You all just BACK OFF and let our little economy flow as best it can in these days and times.

Locally in BC, we tried our best to put our politicians offshore! Yeah, out in Victoria on Vancouver Island. Any SW wind and they blow back onto the mainland like a bunch of moths, drawn to the real economic flame. Dang, anyway.

[wheelinround]

Well the cost of this election has just been made more apparent to me.

Our local member (Labor) has seen fit to start sending out his hate mail, 4 pages worth.
This in turn has given our postie and his mates a heap of OT. He just finished telling me yesterday they didn't finish sorting till 11.30am. He did a bit over half his run having to call for back up both not finishing till after 5.30pm. He normally finishes at 2.30pm.

This of course combined with the 4 pages of glossy printed material which went straight into the recycle bin

This will be the first of a few I feel and just one electorate in Australia.

[Robson Valley]

It's a blood sport = they keep trying to kill eachother off.
When I lived in the city, I knew some guys who worked in a very popular
radio station. I tried really hard to have to sports reporters do the political news.
I fail to see the difference.

[wheelinround]

Sabastian while your down having carving chisels taken care of by Nz_Carver you could pop in and have some fun at Rooty Hill RSL and see the show Pinocchio

[hp8]

I have given our system of government much thought over the years. I have my own opinion on how to make things better but I expect no one would agree.

Lets hear it. It couldn't be any worse than the shambles we have now

[artme]

Sabastian while your down having carving chisels taken care of by Nz_Carver you could pop in and have some fun at Rooty Hill RSL and see the show Pinocchio