Australians are mentally depressed

numbercruncher said:

Only depressing thing about Australian politics is that either you right wing nut jobs win or you left wing lunatics win everytime.

Us normal people sitting in the middle have nothing to win !

I vote we remove compulsary voting.

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bullet21 said:

This is something I've constantly argued for, not voting is just as much a right as being forced to choose "the lesser of two evils", I don't understand why someone should be fined if they chose not to vote.

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From the AEC website: http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/Compulsory_Voting.htm
Compulsory Voting
Updated: 18 May 2011
History of compulsory voting in Australia
•Compulsory enrolment for federal elections was introduced in 1912
•Compulsory voting for state elections was introduced in Queensland in 1915
•Compulsory voting at federal elections was introduced in 1924.
Arguments used in favour of compulsory voting
•Voting is a civic duty comparable to other duties citizens perform e.g. taxation, compulsory education, jury duty
•Teaches the benefits of political participation
•Parliament reflects more accurately the "will of the electorate"
•Governments must consider the total electorate in policy formulation and management
•Candidates can concentrate their campaigning energies on issues rather than encouraging voters to attend the poll
•The voter isn't actually compelled to vote for anyone because voting is by secret ballot.
Arguments used against compulsory voting:
•It is undemocratic to force people to vote – an infringement of liberty
•The ill informed and those with little interest in politics are forced to the polls
•It may increase the number of "donkey votes"
•It may increase the number of informal votes
•It increases the number of safe, single-member electorates – political parties then concentrate on the more marginal electorates
•Resources must be allocated to determine whether those who failed to vote have "valid and sufficient" reasons.

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CASH rate cuts and government pay-outs have failed to lift the confidence of Australian consumers, according to a monthly survey.

The Westpac/Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment fell 2.5 per cent to 96.6 in August, from 99.1 in July.

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gav said:

Now who would you like to vote for today, Hitler or Stalin? You have to pick one. And naturally, if your chosen leader wins, you have no right to complain about the consequences...

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Happy said:

As if you could achieve anything by complaining at all?

It appears to be democratic election of dictator that can do whatever likes.

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sails said:

A recall option would be a good thing to force a bi-election for candidates who are not performing properly or not representing their electorates and would keep them more on their toes and put more power back into the hands of the people, imo.

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