In the coming hours, Australia will either legitimise its first female Prime Minister or give it to a North Shore freak show who knifed his colleague.
Since voting is compulsory in Australia*, I won’t trot out my “voting is a right that many people have died for” spiel, but I would just encourage anyone in Australia to really make a concerted effort to think about what they’re being asked for at the polling booth:
- Should we do something more about climate change?
- In this day and age, should we continue to withhold rights from same sex couples?
- Do you feel that you’re sharing in the prosperity they are always talking about in the news?
* Technically it’s only compulsory to show up at the polling station to have your name crossed off on the electoral rolls, but most people do the right thing and vote.
Have a laugh before and after you vote…
2 comments:
i think your american is showing again. in a parliamentary system, the people don't vote for individuals; they vote for parties. as a consequence, changes at the top can always be made by the governing party(ies). so, gillard has been technically legitimate ever since she elbowed rudd to the side.
of course, the popular sentiment may be that she is not as legitimate as if she had been labor's leader at the time of the last election. but popular opinion is not always correct.
@anon You may be right about the public "supposedly" voting for a party, but your underestimating the mob mentality and the power of media.
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