Agreed Son.

I wonder if they are not game to run with serious vision because that provides to much ammunition for their opponents to run scare campaigns. Change always carries risk and upheaval, any party sprouking any proposals of substance leave themselves open to a fear campaign based on worst case scenario's by those opposing them.

R0bert

Son of Gloin, and Your Majesty,

Somebody has to win the election. And once somebody has got their name on the electoral roll, yes, it is compulsory to go into the voting booth. But how you vote is secret: nobody would know if you accidentally returned an informal vote - not that I am advocating such action, of course, that might break some law or other.

So I urge all voters to be careful how they fill out their ballots. If very many people inadvertantly spoiled their vote, it might give the impression of a general dissatisfaction with all Tweedledee/Tweedledum parties.

Joe Lane

sonofgloin,

Do or die? THIS election? Well it's a shame we have no choice to make any difference... I can see almost NO difference between the two majors anymore, except on a few insignificant issues, so the election is, for the most part, just a formality to see which 'personality' is our new esteemed leader.

The Liberals would have done exactly the same thing as Labor over the past term, although we'd still have workchoices. Of course I admit that's unprovable.

Therefore, we are basically left to vote for who we like, or which team we barrack for if we're do-or-die Labor or Liberal. Either that or vote Green and stimulate the major parties out of their popularity-focused stupor to actually do more than pander to the fickle swinging voters in marginal seats and start coming up with some serious, progressive and effective policy.

Personally Loudmouth and Trashcan I'd just go straight for the jugular and vote a different party;

We can all agree by now that Labor and the Liberals (and Nationals) have eliminated themselves from deserving a vote, so I'd suggest you do what I do and look up all your candidates, and set your paper from numbers 1 to whatever, every single one of them, starting with whichever OTHER party best reflects you. That would also minimize preferences politicians would be able to throw around.

But the point, your Majesty, is who do you give your second preferences to ? Tweedledee, Tweedledum, or Tweedledummer ?

I just hope I don't get confused, at my advanced age, and muck up my ballot paper. Wouldn't it be a shame if 'Informal' gained the most votes ? Who would he/she give her/his preferences to ?