Because out population isn't really that big. If only people who wanted to vote were the only people who voted then their would be a very narrow range of opinions on who should be elected.

For Aboriginals, they have option whether to vote or not due to their religious beliefs and customs. A perfect example would be my dad who hasn't voted once and he's 37. It's not all that bad.

We dont want the 'politicals' pushing the favour towards their own agenda.

As said, in USA 30/40% vote. So that means that the 30/40 that are interested in politics get to have 2x their usual voting power.

Aus avoids this massive sway by making everyone vote, which means that we actually do get the better PM more often. Look at K.Rudd, much better choice than Howard. He has done wonders for foreign relations and IT (save the whole censoring fiasco), and he has saved our economy, which Howard wouldnt have done because he doesnt believe in it. Same with globabl warming.

Kevin Rudd has 'saved' our economy? Have you completely forgotten the massive surplus that Howard built up that Rudd spent in about 6 months of being in power and without which Australia really would have had an economic debt due to the supposed Global Financial Crisis? Neither has Rudd done very much about Climate Change. Do you know what the whole Carbon trading Scheme is going to achieve? It's going to force households that don't use much electricity to subsidise big business that actually uses a huge amount of electricity. And what happened to Rudd's promise that every child would have a laptop within 2 years of him becoming PM? It's been a couple of years and we are yet to see this plan come into any kind of action. Nor has Rudd done very much to improve our internet. The Labor government is going to roll our broadband across the country over the next few years. What good will that do? We live in an age of fibre optic cabling and Rudd decides to give us internet that is already outdated and by the time the project is completed will almost be obsolete.

Yeah about that laptop thing.

I was heaps amped about getting a laptop for Grade 12 (this year).
Would have helped heaps. I don't have it.
Mr. Rudd, you're a web of lies.

On the voting rights, could not care less if I had to vote or not. Like, might sound stupid, but I'm just one of those average joes who would close his eyes and pick randomly.

@Petter
Of course he cant buy you all laptops, he couldnt predict the economic fail

@SLAPPED
Yes, he very much did, our economy is extremely stable and on the rise right now.
And he has done plenty to help a global climate change stratergy.
About the laptops, see above.
Rudd is working on things to improve the internet, I worked on a project not long ago that was improving the nodes in Perth to allow a lot more traffic, infact fiber to the nodes is apparently inplace, although my project did not involve that. Im in Perth and I can see the improvments rolling though Telstra (which I might remind you, won the the bid for the internet improvment contract last year, and is already in progess). If you are on the east coast then you should be feeling the brunt of the improvments far more than me.
You forget that Aus is way behind on tech, we concentrate on wireless a lot more than other countries, and so we are slower but with a wider range. Just think about that before you compare our internet to Philli or some other fibered country.

Also, maybe you should remember some of Howard's election promisise before you bag out on Rudd's, at least he has reasons for not delivering within the first half of his term.

But then it's just a matter of swaying the public with TV advertisements and degrading you opponent.

You don't have to.

You can
a. Take a fine
b. Fill out the form any way you want (including voting for yourself)

I do believe the requirement to submit a ballot has statistical and census purposes.


Slapped = the stoner at pubs who forces his "wisdom" upon you with very little knowledge on the subject.

Rudd is a very smart prime minister and has done a decent job with what he has gotten. Spent a lot of money? Protips: he is labor, a lot of money had to be spent to avoid recession. The only thing I've really given a crap about is the cash splash which I did not approve of.
Have you seen what happened to the mining industry?

I don't suppose you are old enough to remember Howard's bullshit are you? (Asian hate, work relations crap etc). Howard didn't earn a single penny of the surplus, the mining sector did. He just did not spend it. Fuck, learn to politics.

re: Climate change. He is working at it at a moderate pace considering the contributions australia makes to green house gases (most of which comes from our livestock). India and China are by far the major players in the production of GHG and negotiations with them (which have taken place and continue to) are probably the best course for the biggest reduction.

Let's not even bring up the very little evidence there is to support global warming (the melting ice caps could be part of a weather cycle that has not been documented in earth history, the earth is actually several degrees cooler than it was in the dark ages).

re: Internet. There is not much you can do about something being outdated within reason by the time it is underway. Have you seen how fast the technology is advancing? Australian internet is over 200x faster (and up to 3000x if you spend a shitload) than it was 12 years ago and it is getting faster.

You can get 96+ mbps in australia easily if you want to pay (I have 100 mbps theoretical max). What do YOU need it for?

1. Piracy
2. Porn

Get a job, and get a girlfriend.

If you don't like Australia, get the fuck out.

:coolface:

a. You do have to vote. You break the law if you don't vote. People who break the law are criminals. Ergo, you would be a criminal.
But seeing as you like to nitpick things I'll rephrase my original statement. There's no reason why it should be illegal for Australian not to vote.
b. That kind of passive aggressive behaviour doesn't help anyone. Read my first post in full to understand that more. Idiots with opinions like yours shouldn't be voting anyway.

@DeadorK; This isn't wibbles. Gtfo.