Secret Santa 2024
Original Post
The right to vote (in Australia)
I'd like to put forth a debate here. The right to vote vs. the right not to vote in Australia.
In Australia you have the right to vote. Thats all very well and good except for the fact that you have to exercise that right. You have to vote on pain of a monetary fine.
Why? My attitude to that is this; people that have fought and died in wars over the years to obtain the rights that we have today, to secure our freedom. But, also while doing so, they gave us the right not to vote. Now, why is that important? You have the right to vote, why not express yourself in the election? Well try this out, maybe my opinion is that nobody in the election deserves my vote. Or hows this, if everybody always has to vote then there is no possible way to gauge how interested the populace is in the election process. If, like in Russia, 99% of the population turned out to vote all the time, then you could never really tell how interested they were in politics or not. In America, where only 30 or 40% of the people turn out to vote, heres one thing you can know from that; the people who decide to go vote wanted to. They actually cared about the candidates they voted for, even though the candidates and probably the majority of the voters were complete idiots. Still, you know that they wanted to do it, you know that they voluntarily showed and interest in the candidates. Now if everyone is forced to vote all the time you have the illusion then, that everyone is interested in politics and you're going to have enmity in some of the voters. Some of the voters will be pissed off. They will be pissed that they have to go and vote. Ergo, they may not vote with a good conscience and they may not pay attention to whats being said by the politicians and they simply may not care. So I put this to you, do you want people who vote for you leaders not to care? People who haven't listened to a single campaign speech or issue? Do you really want that?

So, why the hell do Australians have to vote? Post your opinions on this topic.
I say they shouldn't allow to let everyone to vote all the time

what if in an election your giving birth/your wife is giving birth (lol fail)
something like that
if your sick or not


Dont you guys have an age rule that only 18 and up can vote?
From my knowledge they fine you but then you can revoke it by writing back with 'I'm was in labour'. And unless you are seriously physically ill, you can't get out of it. And yeah, you have to be 18+ to vote.
I thought that Josef Fritzl, the last king of australia, outlawed voting to stay in office for 24 years?

User infracted: Trolling, etc.
Last edited by hanz0; Jan 17, 2010 at 03:55 AM.
Originally Posted by h4rl View Post
I thought that Josef Fritzl, the last king of australia, outlawed voting to stay in office for 24 years?

>king

>voting

best troll ever
As an australian about to turn 18 I look forward to being able to vote HOWEVER I dont think we should be forced to. I know Ill put some thought into my vote but I know dozens of people who will just vote for whoever is at the top of the balet paper or for keven rudd (the current leader) because its easier.

Voting is an opinion and if you dont have an opinion then why should you have a vote?
[o]
i agree with coxy, imagine if all the lazy turds in america voted, then you would end up with a hillbilly as president, and yes, that our prime minister on the left, the kruddmyster
So really, theres no reason why Australians have to vote. I can't think of a single argument for it.