I dropped off the list when I moved interstate about 15 years ago.

In that time I have not felt the urge or been inspired to re-enrol to vote for any of the candidates based on (some of) their policies or personalities.
I have also learned that even if I was to vote for a certain party or leader who I want to represent this great country , there is every chance they will be overturned and some other clown will take over.

In a recent discussion I was told that I don't really have the right to complain if I don't vote , and I tend to agree to some extent.
I fully understand that every vote counts.

I love this country , but I am not impressed at all with what I have seen in politics since the election has been announced.
I still feel some of the things that will really make a difference to this country are being overlooked , and these fools who are asking me to vote for them are so far out of touch with society and reality its not funny.

Do I re-enrol and vote for a party and leader who I think "will do"? Enrol and vote for one of the minor parties who don't have a hoping hell of getting enough votes or do I continue on through life - caring but not voting,, winging,, handing over my taxes and watching these clowns make idiots out of each other?

I would really like to make a difference but cant help feeling I would be wasting my time.

Its our right to vote as we are dictated to and must vote.

But I get what you are saying as why would you vote for a person or party that will win by default.

Would be a much better system if we could just red thumb the pollys, Woops, that right has been taken away already

You're right of course in saying one vote won't matter. But there is a bigger picture here, a hell of a lot of one votes do matter. I think trends are taken notice of.
I support a minor party. It was explained to me once that a minor party doesn't have to win a seat to influence a major party's position. If a major party sees a minor party gaining support, they will tend to modify their policies in that direction. What the majors hate more than each other is the minor parties because they want to keep the power between themselves and don't want to run the risk of having to share it with others. So by having a bigger say in a small party could be argued to have more power than a small say in a big party, even if they will never be elected. If you feel something matters, support the party that cares about that subject. It may have more influence than you think.

if you re enroll theyll just use it against you again and slap you with another 250$ fine and take your licence again like last time man. **** em getting taken off the enrollment was best $250 i ever spent

SandS said...

of course you should , there are thousands of people around the world who would kill to have your voting rights.

A good point.

I would imagine though that those people live in a country where the right to vote is the difference between somewhat normal governance and soldiers running around the streets killing people.

Living in australia it's more a difference of do I pick clown A, or clown B. And as proven by the last 5 or so years, you might get clown C at a later date anyway.

I guess you're meant to vote for policies though, not clowns.

Craig66 said..
Its our right to vote as we are dictated to and must vote.

We dont have the right to vote - we are required to attend at a polling station and have our names ticked to show we have shown up.
Under our present system, if we fail to do this we are liable to be punished.

IF we had the "right" to vote, we would automatically have the freedom to not show up, without the threat of punishment.


stephen

worst thing is i ****ing voted. they just ticked off my brothers name instead?!?!? still cost me 250$ and they removed me from the roll

since then i started thinking maybe 1 in 10000 "innocent" prisoners probably are

I haven't voted the last couple of times. Not going to vote till there is someone worth voting for,..
Was sent a fine each time for $50. Funny as.
The fine comes with a returned stamped envelope, you either pay the fine or give a reason why you didn't vote and send it back.
I wrote "But I DID vote" both times.........have never heard anything back. Guess its hard for them to prove that the little old lady crossing off your name as you vote didn't make a mistake.

I wonder how many idiots actually pay the fine.

lotofwind said...
I haven't voted the last couple of times. Not going to vote till there is someone worth voting for,..
Was sent a fine each time for $50. Funny as.
The fine comes with a returned stamped envelope, you either pay the fine or give a reason why you didn't vote and send it back.
I wrote "But I DID vote" both times.........have never heard anything back. Guess its hard for them to prove that the little old lady crossing off your name as you vote didn't make a mistake.

I wonder how many idiots actually pay the fine.

I'm so doing that!!!!

Unhook3d said..
I'm surprised that as an educated person in a western country that anyone wouldn't value the opportunity enough to want to vote.

It is an educated decision not to vote? considering the outcome has basically no effect on what you think anyway. and previously stated just wait 6 months and it will change. It seems like this country has been incapable of holding onto a settled government for years now regardless of the party elected. People are getting sick of it.

I don't understand how any one would not want to vote and not see that their individual
vote is important.

When I was in a marginal electorate I used to vote 3 times, no one ever said anything about it.

I learnt about this from a work colleague who was aligned with a certain party

"Vote Early, Vote often" I love democracy

If your against the major parties, understandable, why not focus on a local level. Look at the representative in your area for each party and ask them what they run for or believe in. Then base your vote on what is best for you back yard

Crusoe said..
If we'd ran the house hold budget like these pricks run the country, we'd have a massive debt to hand onto our children. And I'm not referring to any particular party.

Trouble is most households run with a massive debt in relation to their income....Housing loans, car loan etc... government debt compared to income is small in comparison.
Debt is ok. IF the debt has a pay off in the end.....debt to run your day to day expenses for a household or a government does not work.

oz surf said..
I don't understand how any one would not want to vote and not see that their individual
vote is important.

exactly !!! those same people would be the first ones to jump up and down if their voting rights were taken from them !!

Greenroom said..

lotofwind said...
I haven't voted the last couple of times. Not going to vote till there is someone worth voting for,..
Was sent a fine each time for $50. Funny as.
The fine comes with a returned stamped envelope, you either pay the fine or give a reason why you didn't vote and send it back.
I wrote "But I DID vote" both times.........have never heard anything back. Guess its hard for them to prove that the little old lady crossing off your name as you vote didn't make a mistake.

I wonder how many idiots actually pay the fine.

I'm so doing that!!!!

If you choose that action you will get what you deserve .