From: brian@coombs.anu.edu.au (Brian)
Newsgroups: aus.politics
Subject: Re: Compulsory Voting
Date: 5 Nov 92 06:45:26 GMT
Organization: Australian National University
NNTP-Posting-Host: 150.203.76.2

suter@fawlty8.eng.monash.edu.au (Mr D. Suter) writes:
>>
>>	And has been explained here many times Australia does NOT have a 
>>"compulsory voting system".  It does have a compulsory _attendance_at_the_
>>polling_station_system.  In other words, you are required by law to attend
>>a polling station and have your name marked off.  If you decide to vote,
>>thats up to you.  You are not required by law to even take a ballot paper
>>if you should choose not to.

>So what difference does that make. 

	It MEANS that we DO NOT HAVE A COMPULSORY VOTING SYSTEM.  C
Are you claiming that you should not be compelled by society to attend
particular places if societ decides that is best?  If you do, then you'd
better perhaps explain why then we have compulsory education, compulsory
driving tests (if you want to drive) and other aspects of our lives which
we accept as needing some degree of regulation.

>					It's still undemocratic to make
>people do something that makes no difference to the welfare of
>others. The obvious INTENT (and indeed they don't proclaim from
>the tree tops that you don't actually need to vote, hence
>adding deception to the crime) 

	Nor do they deny it.  If you are too stupid to work it out, then you
deserve to be considered one of the sheep IMO. 

>					is to make people vote. As I've
>said before, if the govt cam out and made it clear through
>advertisements that voting itself is not compulsory then
>the whole system would die a natural death - people would
>rightly object to be required to go to a polling booth
>just to have their names ticked off. Instead, the system
>hoodwinks the ill-educated and unaware people (the very people
>they claim to be defending) into going out to the polls and voting.
>>
	Look mate, you might not like it, but having compulsory attendance
at the polling station does not make Oz an undemocratic country.

>>	BTW, I'd rather have a system as we do where we regularly get 90%+
>             ^^^^^^^^^^^well let's let the majority decide whether they
>agree with you by relinquishing all compulsion to attend. That's the
>true test and you very well know you would be in the minority. 

	Would I?  Well, you're right.  Until its put to the people we shall
never know. 

>>voter turnout, than a system like the yanks where they can't get more than
>>50% of their voters (on a good day) out.  I also prefer a system where its
>>compulsory to register to vote than a system like the yanks where deliberate
>>obstacles are placed in front of the potential voter to prevent them from
>>being able to vote.
>I don't believe it is compulsory to register to vote. 

	Federally you are required under the act upon turning eighteen to 
register to vote.  In South Australia you are not required to register for
the state electoral register but once you do you are required by law to 
continue registering each time you change your address.
	I'm sure that the other states are similar.
>							I also believe
>that more than once xenophobia about the "yanks" has led 
>to false conclusions and conspiracy theories. Where's your proof
>on "deliberate obstacles"?

	I'd suggest that you read some history of the civil rights movement
in the US.  Particularly in the Southern States, the state authorities which
are in charge of the voter registration system (ie can make what ever rules
and regulations they like) considerable obstacles were placed (and in some
areas apparently still are) in front of potential voters who wished to register.
If you're poor, black, hispanic or even white but illiterate, you could/cannot 
register.
	Before calling someone "xenophobic" I'd recommend that you find 
something out about the topic or are you an escapee from aus.flame? 

>				 In any event what does this have to do
>with our case in hand or are you trying to generate another
>conspiracy theory (i.e., abolish "compulsory voting" and before you
>know it those behind it will have made it illegal to vote unless
>you're *insert your pet hate group here*).

	David, the only person who is seeing conspiracies is yourself.


--
Brian Ross_____Brian@Coombs.anu.edu.au________________________________________
	"Three discoveries are essential to the contented and civilised life -
sex, wine, and bookshops, by no means necessarily in that order."
_________________________________Tony Baker, Adelaide Review, October 1992____
Newsgroups: aus.politics