At a bar in New York recently a conversation between an American & I turned to politics. As we all know politics & alcohol mix as well as Tony Haywood at a Greenpeace rally. I brought up the on coming Australian federal elections and to this gentleman’s credit he knew a fair bit about our politics
I told him how I’d be overseas on Election Day so I had to vote at our Consulate. He was immediately impressed with my patriotic obligation to vote… until I told him it’s mandatory. With all the incredulous attitude of a 150kg man at an empty bain-marie in an all-you-can-eat restaurant he exclaimed ‘that’s un-democratic!!’ ‘So is bombing an innocent county’ was my first reaction however with diplomacy I bit my tounge (or rather surrounded it with beer). His take was because we were forced to vote many of those votes would be uninformed. I countered that by saying ‘well- if uninformed votes are good enough for Australian Idol it’s good enough for head of state’.
Although I did have to admit he had a point.
I remember the last federal election (circa Kevin ’07, now it’s Rudd ’10 Dud) and my 18-year-old cousin and I were walking to the polling booths. As we strolled he asked me ‘Will Kevin Rudd be there?’ I looked at him quizzically, ‘The candidates aren’t like Santa- they don’t make it to every house’ Needless to say Laurie Oakes doesn’t ask for his opinion too often.
Lets be honest though- how many of us out there really do the appropriate amount of homework? Go on be honest. I don’t keep the keenest eye on politics- you run the risk of more T Abbot dick sticker action.
So the argument is there for all to see- should it be optional to vote, hence only the most passionate and knowledgeable do so, or should it be mandatory so that every person, no matter how misinformed they are, have their say?
All I could say to the American was that this was the system I grew up with and although we may not pay enough attention come election time it does give us the true fair dinkum Australian right to complain like hell once our elected leader is in.
So he’s saying that only informed people should vote? That’s a bit elitist. Plus, forcing somebody to participate in democracy can hardly be called undemocratic.
The Americans appear to be forcing democracy on a few countries using their guns right now – some people would rather the threat of a $110 fine.
In actual fact we don’t have to vote at all, we just need to get our names checked off. After that you can make your way straight to the sausage sizzle if you so choose.
Was just reading your blogs and I had to comment on this one because you do actually ask a question.
I myself am uninformed about Politics. I also believe that if we were given the option to vote (a few people I know simply haven’t registered to vote, so they don’t) many Australians wouldn’t vote and that would be less Democratic. Literally the only people who would actually vote if it wasn’t compulsory, would be the Politicians themselves and possibly Laurie Oaks.
Democracy and compulsory Voting is instilled in us from a young age. We vote for House Captains in Primary School and then House Captains and Student Council.
That is all!
Yeah you’re right voting is instilled in Australian’s isn’t it? I’m torn between whether it should be compulsory or not but the one overriding feeling I had with the American was that it was arrogant for him to think that any other way other than there’s was wrong. Admittedly the guy was fairly douchey (I’m sure that’s a proper word)