Election Announced for September 14th

[Ralph Wiggum]

smiley faces on the votesheet and move overseas me thinks

I heard it was something like new Governments aren't voted in, it's more old Governments are voted out.

I honestly don't know if I'll vote Greens this time, I find they're drifting a wee bit to the far side in order to push their agenda. I might actually do a bit of research on my independents this year.

[Matty]

I don't know about the rest of you guys but I am looking forward to Abbots train wreck speeches/publicity campaigns.

[MuscularTeeth]

I don't know about the rest of you guys but I am looking forward to Abbots train wreck speeches/publicity campaigns.

he scares the f... out of me.

[Yurtles]

I think for me it's going to be a lot like last election and I'll be voting for the party whose policies I like the best rather than considering their leaders or individual candidates.

[Jez]

I have made this thread sticky, all election talk will go here so we don't have multiple threads across the forums.

I feel special. :O

Will also be interesting to see how big the thread gets, considering the last ones have gotten fairly large and the campaigns for those weren't nearly as long.

[PalZer0]

I hate our system at times like this. I don't like ALP or LNP but we seem to be stuck with one or the other due to the general public voting for one of those two.

The mainstream media doesn't help either. They seem to be biased to one party or the other.

This campaign is going to be worse than last year's. I can feel it.

[skitzor]

I hate our system at times like this. I don't like ALP or LNP but we seem to be stuck with one or the other due to the general public voting for one of those two.

the system Australia is much better than the USAs. they have no preferential voting which means if you don't vote for the two big parties it's a wasted vote. the only thing stopping Greens/whoever winning is a lack of people wanting them in power. what rules would mean the lesser parties have a better chance at winning?

I always thought the Liberals would replace Abbott before the election as he's had a long term of being the opposition, and therefore had a long term of being negative. part of me thinks Labor made the decision so early to try and either remove this possibility, or amplify the negative effects. but then again, I don't know all that much detail on Australian politics, so replacing Abbott may be totally out of the question.

[PalZer0]

the only thing stopping Greens/whoever winning is a lack of people wanting them in power.

This tends to be caused by stupid people the general public voting for parties that are pushed via mainstream media like newspapers, TV, radio, etc (as well as talkback radio programs that tend to be biased towards one party or the other).

[skitzor]

This tends to be caused by stupid people the general public voting for parties that are pushed via mainstream media like newspapers, TV, radio, etc (as well as talkback radio programs that tend to be biased towards one party or the other).

possibly. it could also be because the non-main parties tend to be more extreme and therefore appeal to less people. they also tend to concentrate on a few issues which makes them look weaker in certain areas.

[PalZer0]

Having said that, I'd love to see a viable third option (if only to keep the other two honest). The Democrats filled that role well but they're dead as a doornail with no viable replacement.

[Ralph Wiggum]

People don`t know how good we have it here. My brother lives in Singapore which has first past the post system. Since independence in 1965, only 12 opposition candidates have EVER been elected into parliament. From 1965 - 1981 the only politicians elected into parliament were from the ruling party. Lack of alternative candidates in electorates are extremely high compared to other countries. If the preferential system was introduced, things would at least be somewhat better.

So yeah, we may not have the perfect system but at least the opposition, third parties and independents get a fair crack.

[Sathias]

I hate our system at times like this. I don't like ALP or LNP but we seem to be stuck with one or the other due to the general public voting for one of those two.

The mainstream media doesn't help either. They seem to be biased to one party or the other.

This campaign is going to be worse than last year's. I can feel it.

Yes and no. Remember that we have the current minority government because people DIDN'T vote for the major parties in key seats. I don't know if this is a popular opinion (I suspect not) but I have a lot of regard for Windsor and Oakeshott, I think they have done a fantastic job. For all the derp that comes from the opposition, this has been a remarkably productive government with a record number of pieces of legislation passed.

Not perfect by any means (Labor backing down on pokie reform was a particular low-light) but I feel government works best when they have to negotiate with other parties. That is why even though I'm an admittedly fairly die-hard Labor supporter, I NEVER vote for them in the Senate. When we last had a party control both houses, we got Workchoices, reams of cash thrown at the public to buy votes, and the inflationary affect causing 10 interest rate rises in a row.

[skitzor]

so what do people think are the major issues in this election?

[Glinn Mgraw]

so what do people think are the major issues in this election?

Earlobes.

[Ralph Wiggum]

For me?

Economy. NBN. Climate Change.

Labor is edging forward but I'm still undecided.