Quote:
Originally Posted by julianh72
There's a special place at the end of my voting paper reserved for Pauline Hanson's One Nation (if they stand), then just above them come all the other looney-left / looney-right candidates.
First place will go to my protest vote, then my preferred mainstream party, then usually will be the other mainstream party (unless they've shown an inordinate amount of ineptitude in recent months).
Remember - it will generally be one of the mainstream parties that ends up forming a government (possibly with the support of some of the minors). If the electorate pushes all the mainstream parties too far down the ticket, there's a chance that the "protest vote" mentality ends up electing someone that very few people actually want in power. (Anybody remember Ricky Muir and his 0.51% of the primary vote that was enough to get into the Senate?)
Much as we all like to moan about the mainstream parties, either of them would be better than some of the alternative single-issue parties - can you imagine an Australia governed by a coalition of Family First / Motorists Party / Shooters & Fishers? (Sure, they would have the weekend issues covered with lots of good ol' huntin ' and fishin' and ol'-time religion, but there's not a lot of policy-leadership on the Monday-to-Friday issues!)
|
I only do it as it is the only way to make my thoughts about them known, in my electorate there is a better chance of me winning the seat than anyone other than the majors picking it up (No, I am not running!) I would have to watch my step and evaluate things better if we looked like we had an Indi style independent actually getting some momentum. You never know, if they were neither on the lunatic fringe left or right they might even pick up my vote.
As things stand, the major which I dislike the least eventually picks up my preferences before the other. And in 2013 it did go down to final preferences. We were officially the most marginal seat in the country after that one. 23 votes or something like that and quite a few recounts to get there.
Back on topic, it is very hard to believe that the government/s pushing very hard to get Adani up are swimming against the tide of world events.