2010 Australian Federal Election

reply to post by damn_ummmm

The Greens and others do want a crack at it, and they take one every election.

Its not them, its everyones voting habits, that keep them from power.

They don't have the money to campaign like Labor or the Coalition - and the media mostly ignores them because they make too much sense.

But I agree, the 2-party system is freaking stupid. But thats how it is for now, and I don't see it changing any time soon.

I wish our system was more like Switzerland.

People are too binary.

Originally posted by polarwarrior
Voting is such a joke I cant believe I used to take it seriously. Im reluctent to just not vote out of protest cuz the media will just label us lazy. I dont really care about the fine, or any other deterent for that matter. Im thinking bout how I could send a message and voting for a party the msm doesnt back as much is an option.

That's why I never vote. If you do, it only encourages them.

Imagine if 70% of people just didn't vote. Imagine how powerless they would become. Tell them that if they want votes, they have to actually earn them instead of relying on laws and technicalities to receive them.

PS. If you don't enrol to vote, they don't seem to send you a fine. 15 years experience.


[edit on 29/4/10 by NuclearPaul]

reply to post by NuclearPaul

That wouldn't accomplish anything - we'd just end up like america where less than 50% of people vote, and they get more power, because they have less people to worry about pleasing.

Not voting is stupid, you just have to use your votes better - we aren't america yet. Every vote counts

And if you do feel the urge to donkey vote, donkey vote for something cool, don't just throw your vote away.

Greens on the Internet Filter

If for nothing else.

Haha I feel as though my thread has been hijacked by the Greens Party

Not sure how (if at all) the new tax reforms will affect me but watching KRudd and TAbbott no tv last night, neither one filled me with confidence..

*sigh*

reply to post by damn_ummmm

Sorry about that - I am just passionate to see change, I'm sick of the whole world being so binary. And the Greens are the best bet.

This whole thing with a tax on mining is a good thing in philosophy (its something the greens have been advocating for the last 20 years), the wealth from minerals in our country, should be spent on our country - not going overseas.

Malcolm Turnbull is getting back into politics - I hope he rises to the top again. I CANT STAND TONY ABBOTT!!!!!

Peter Costello has come out from under his rock , election must be getting closer . Abbot and Costello , you could make this up could you ?
Who rights this stuff ! Jerry Sienfield ?

reply to post by 13th Zodiac


I agree it's funny stuff

I should imagine that after today's budget we will have a clearer idea on when to expect an election.

Greens are up in the polls!!

I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hope Phony Tony doesn't become PM!!!!!!!!

reply to post by Melbourne_Militia


Dont pay your fine man.....

They send you that piece of paper to ask you why you didn't vote, sign it and say 'religious reasons'.

I'm sick of the pollies here, tho they are probably no different from anywhere else. Too busy to try and drag dirt on the other party/ies when they should be doing their bit to make this country work.

MM

Gotta love The Greens...

She is their second of 2 senators.

They are up in the polls too.


And this the the Liberal Party advert - I so hope they don't win.

IMO If voting changed anything, it would be illegal.
It's all a game, they're all the same.

reply to post by Verum Astrum

IMO If voting changed anything, it would be illegal.
It's all a game, they're all the same.

You have a point, to an extent, in your first line. However, they are not all the same, you have the ability to control your preferences (Don't just tick 1 box!!)- Its just about getting people to unplug themselves from this 2-horse race syndrome, voter apathy and defeatism.

This is how I am placing my preferences for this year.

Vote 01 Greens
Vote 02 Socialist Alliance
Vote 03 Communist Alliance
Vote 04 Socialist Equality Party
Vote 05 Australian Democrats
Vote 06 Secular Party of Australia
Vote 07 Australian Sex Party
Vote 08 Senator On-Line
Vote 09 One-Nation
Vote 10 Citzens Electoral Council
Vote 11 Carers Alliance
Vote 12 Liberal Democratic Party
Vote 13 Australian Labor Party (ALP)
Vote 14 Building Australia Party
Vote 15 The Climate Sceptics
Vote 16 Non-Custodial Parents Party (Equal Parenting)
Vote 17 Democratic Labor Party (DLP) of Australia
Vote 18 Family First Party
Vote 19 Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
Vote 20 Shooters and Fishers Party
Vote 21 Country Liberals
Vote 22 National Party of Australia
Vote 23 Liberal Party of Australia
Vote 24 Australian Fishing and Lifestyle Party
Vote 25 Australia First Party

This way I control all my preferences and vote for who I choose.


Building Australia Party is a new party, I can't find any information on them?


How will you vote?

reply to post by ghostsoldier


Hmmm well if I am honest I have to say I probably won't vote for anyone, as I feel they ARE all the same. They may sprout different policies, but the agenda of control and gaining power is ultimately the same.

From the age of 18 I have always voted Greens.
I'm now 38..........and the same parties are in, the same spin doctoring, the same talking heads on TV, the same 'promises' which seem to end up with the Oz public being taxed more and more....

I think you are right in that the main problem is a lack of knowledge and/or disinterest.
One has to be knowledgeable about how the system works to even begin ticking all the boxes......and I think it's safe to say that a lot of Australians just aren't passionate enough about politics to bother. That could be because we are so used to the 2 party system though. The country is in a political rut, so to speak.

I am extremely disillusioned with the whole thing.
I think I have given up on anything changing.
I may just relinquish my 'right' to vote and cop the fine. My passion for politics has died......I just resent all of them.
The very fact that the Gov fines you for not exercising your right is undemocratic - and just a tad ludicrous.
It seems I am having a whinge lol. Maybe I have just spent too much time reading these boards

Oh and I am with you 100% about Tony Abbott..........ugh....makes my skin crawl. But then so does Rudd.

reply to post by ghostsoldier


this is why i don't vote, especially for greens, how can you expect 'change' when you vote for greens? they will propably leave Krudd in there and make him put climate change stuff through that actually won't cut our emissions, it will just funnel all the money back to the key players. (and you would rather malcolm turncoat? ha)

nationalizing our resources would be great, what would be even better is if we could, as a nation, make sure that the resources and minerals that and being dug up are going to the right things, and not being wasted to cheap china crap that will end up as landfill at the tip!

reply to post by bassofspace

this is why i don't vote, especially for greens, how can you expect 'change' when you vote for greens?

For every vote they get, they get more money to spend on running costs and advertising. And they actually have more swing than you might think, in QLD a Labor MP even switched sides and joined The Greens. But in terms of the Federal election, because it gets whittled down to a two party preferred, yeah you are right it will probably go to Krudd and Phoney. But every vote counts, if nothing else it will send a warning sign to twidle-dee and twidle-dum to do what's right.

I just copied this from wiki: Australian Greens (Very interesting read actually, even some conspiracy in there) - These are all the federal and state senators that are from the Greens.

Federal:
Senator Bob Brown (Tas), 1996–current
Senator Christine Milne (Tas), 2005–current (elected in 2004)
Senator Rachel Siewert (WA), 2005–current (elected in 2004)
Senator Scott Ludlam (WA), 2008–current (elected in 2007)
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (SA), 2008–current (elected in 2007)

NSW:
Ian Cohen, 1995–current
Sylvia Hale, 2003–current
John Kaye, 2007–current
Lee Rhiannon, 1999–current

Vic:
* Greg Barber, 2006–current
* Colleen Hartland, 2006–current
* Sue Pennicuik, 2006–current

WA:
Robin Chapple, 2001-05, 2009–current
Lynn MacLaren, 2005, 2009–current
Giz Watson, 1997–current
Alison Xamon, 2009–current

SA:
Tammy Jennings, 2010–current
Mark Parnell, 2006–current

Tas:
Kim Booth, 2002–current
Nick McKim, 2002–current
Tim Morris, 2002–current
Paul O'Halloran, 2010–current
Cassy O'Connor, 2008–current

ACT:
Amanda Bresnan, 2008–current
Meredith Hunter, 2008–current
Caroline Le Couteur, 2008–current
Shane Rattenbury, 2008–current

They vote according to their own party line - and they ownly support decisions if they truly believe in them. Majority rules however, and alot of the time Labor and Liberal will gang up on the Greens when they put bills before the senate (The Actual Decision Making Part of the Government)

they will propably leave Krudd in there and make him put climate change stuff through that actually won't cut our emissions, it will just funnel all the money back to the key players.

And this is exactly why The Greens voted it down in the senate. Which is actually why it didn't go through. It locked us in a measly 5% reduction - and at the same time giving billions to the polluters.

nationalizing our resources would be great, what would be even better is if we could, as a nation, make sure that the resources and minerals that and being dug up are going to the right things, and not being wasted to cheap china crap that will end up as landfill at the tip!

You are now my friend.



ETA:
No I would not prefer Turnbull, the order I would like to see as Prime Minister is as follows:

1st: Bob Brown
2nd: Sam Watson
3rd: Rudd
23rd: Turnbull
100000000000000000000000000000000000000000th: Tony Abbott.

[edit on 23/6/10 by ghostsoldier]

I'm voting Liberal, I just can't stand K Rudd.

I would vote greens, but their weak on asylum seekers and it seems like a wasted vote.

reply to post by WishForWings

I can't stand Abbott - He'll be like Howard on steroids.

OH AND IF YOU DO VOTE LIBERAL - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!! USE PREFERENTIAL VOTING!!! DONT JUST TICK ONE BOX!!! - Consider it a personal favour!!

And what are your thoughts about asylum seekers? I wont get in an argument, I am just interested to know, if that is your main concern for not voting Greens.

Here is their Exact policy, I think you'll find they're not as soft as you think... Lemme know?

PRINCIPALS:
The Australian Greens believe that:

1. the presence in Australia of people of many cultural backgrounds greatly enriches our society and should be celebrated.

2. Australian society, culture and the economy has benefited, and will continue to benefit, from immigration of people from around the world.

3. immigration must be non-discriminatory on the grounds of nationality, ethnic origin, religion, language, gender, disability, sexuality, age or socioeconomic background.

4. Australia has humanitarian and legal obligations to accept refugees and reunite families.

5. asylum seekers and refugees are no more of a threat to our borders or to society than anyone else and must be treated with compassion and dignity.

6. Australia must assess in good faith all asylum seekers who arrive on our mainland or any of our islands, without discrimination based on the method of arrival.

GoALS:
The Australian Greens want:

7. an immigration program that is predominantly based on family reunions and other special humanitarian criteria as defined by international human rights Conventions.

8. all migrants to be given access to a full range of culturally sensitive, appropriate health services including a comprehensive medical examination on arrival.

9. services for new migrants to include appropriate English language classes, social security, legal and interpreter services, programs to ease transition to Australia's multicultural society, and post-trauma counselling where needed.

10. the elimination of the policies of mandatory detention, and other forms of harsh, punitive or discriminatory treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.

11. asylum seekers who arrive without a valid visa to have their claims for asylum assessed while living in the community.

12. planning for climate change refugees with a particular focus on the Asia-Pacific region.


MEASURES:
The Australian Greens will:

13. ensure that potential immigrants are not unfairly discriminated against on any grounds.

14. increase the share of places for off-shore refugees and humanitarian entrants.

15. ensure that funding for public and community sector agencies providing migrant-specific services is increased to a level sufficient to provide adequate, effective and timely support.

16. ensure the development of networks, materials and programs that increase community understanding of the causes and benefits of migration.

17. abolish mandatory and indefinite detention of asylum seekers.

18. abolish discriminatory separation of refugees into permanent and temporary visa categories based on whether or not they arrived with a valid visa.

19. abolish the 'seven day rule' legislation whereby asylum seekers cannot gain a permanent protection visa if they have spent seven days in a third country.

20. restore the Australian migration zone to match Australia's territory and accept responsibility for processing all asylum seekers who seek Australia's protection within the migration zone.

21. ensure asylum seekers are fully informed of their rights on arrival and given immediate access to legal assistance.

22. restore asylum seekers' legal right to challenge decisions that affect them in the courts.

23. replace the current system of humanitarian visas (granted only by the Immigration Minister after rejection as a refugee) with an open, accountable humanitarian visa process incorporating a humanitarian review tribunal.

24. house asylum seekers who arrive without a valid visa in publicly owned and managed open reception centres, where entry and exit to these centres are unrestricted except where prohibited for medical or security reasons specified in clause 28.

25. ensure that initial assessment of refugee status is completed within 90 days.

26. grant asylum seekers an asylum application visa (AAV) and assist without delay their move into the community provided medical and security checks are satisfied or after 14 days has passed, whichever occurs first.

27. ensure asylum seekers living in the community while their claim is assessed will be granted an AAV which will entitle them to travel, work, income support and access to ongoing educational and medical services anywhere within Australia while their claims for asylum are assessed.

28. deny an AAV if security checks demonstrate the person poses a serious criminal threat to the Australian community or if the person has not remained housed in the reception centre while the medical and security checks were completed.

29. ensure that refusal to grant an AAV is reviewable at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

30. house those people refused an AAV in separate, appropriate, publicly owned and managed facilities close to urban areas.

31. ensure that, if refugee status is refused and the person cannot be repatriated, the AAV will remain in force until he or she can be repatriated.

32. ensure that the number of AAVs given to asylum seekers who arrive without a valid visa has no impact on the prescribed number of off-shore refugee and humanitarian entrants that Australia accepts.

33. support skilled migration programs that do not drain critical skills from other countries and do not substitute for training or undermine wages and conditions in Australia.

34. ensure that Australia adequately contributes to the funding of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

35. ensure that Australia adopts a definition of environmental refugee in its assessment criteria and works in the UN system for inclusion of a definition in the United Nations Refugee Convention.

36. ensure that no family unit is forcibly separated by the Australian assessment processes.

37. grant the families of approved asylum seekers permission to migrate to Australia for family reunions within a reasonable time, in accordance with the UNHCR humanitarian program.




Thoughts?


[edit on 23/6/10 by ghostsoldier]

reply to post by ghostsoldier


Australia IS Australia, not Asia. Just how many asylum seekers (boat people) do you want in Australia. 50 million? 100 million? 500 million? Do you want the Australian defence force to be removed and/or replaced with asylum seekers working in the defence force? Having all the commonwealth of Australia powers to be given to the asylum seekers? Also, if a asylum seeker does break the law, you want the asylum seekers to be NOT goto court and/or to be given a fine... and to give the victim the punishments? And rename Australia to "New Asia"?

reply to post by gordonwest

There is a moral and legal distinction between Asylum Seekers/Refugees and (Illegal) Immigrants seeking permanent residence.

Your extremification of the issue is a perfect example of the misinformation that is out there.

I support a sustainable immigration policy - I don't know all the facts and figures on infrastructure and migration levels etc - to make an informed opinion on numbers - But I do believe when they get here that there are better ways of handling them than we are currently.

Asylum Seekers Myth Busting Fact Sheet

Oh, and re-read my above post for The Greens policy and proposed measures because it actually makes more sense.

Vote 1

JEDI KNIGHTS

....they always get a good percentage ,

... even if they're NOT on the ballot !!!!!!!!!!!!