Hi pelican - I didn't say anything about hysteria. What I did say is that I think that voting in Australian elections shouldn't be compulsory, but rather should be restricted to those citizens of any age who can demonstrate that they understand our political system and civic institutions.

I agree that there are other electoral reforms that are at least as urgent. On preferential voting (which is one aspect of our system that relatively few current voters actually understand), I'd be hesitant about moving to a 'first past the post' system that can effectively disenfranchise the majority of voters in any given election. Indeed, Beattie's introduction of optional preferential voting in Queensland has effectively locked out the minor parties and guaranteed the ALP over a decade in office, despite manifest incompetence and undemocratic behaviour.

I'd like to see some form of proportional representation in State Lower Houses and the Federal House of Representatives, similar perhaps to the Hare-Clark system that operates in Tasmania, or indeed that which operates in the Senate.

Not so sure about citizen initiated referenda - they sound good in principle but it worries me that they seem to be championed principally by lunatic fringe far right groups.

Left right center, who cares. Has political persuasion got top come into every debate ?
This is not a foot6ball match.
Isn't the side with the most plausable situation the winner on the day./
There are exceptions to the rule, being far between'\

In this town we have a 19 yr old councilor.
This is great,
He got involved in investigating night clubs for his own knowledge and got a belting for his troubles. And ended in hospital.
Does this tell tell you something. Or is that just one of those thing that happen.

Examinator,

Appreciated.

The argument to lower the voting age normally comes from the lunatic fringe who think that their agenda is hip and cool, and because the old farts over 25 can't be persuaded, the teens can.

I can just imagine them handing out lollies with the voter advice.

I was very political when I was young. Idealist. We would solve the problems of the world over dinners served on coffee tables surrounded by incense, pampas grass decor and the long awaited, long out of date arrival of The Guardian from London. Knew all the answers. It was all so easy. I had posters on the wall of Gough Whitlam. He was my idol, my hero and his poster shared my wallspace with Jimi Hendrix. That is the trouble with youth, they need idols, poster causes and pot.:)

The Missus <"That is the trouble with youth, they need idols, poster causes and pot.:)"

Lol! I like your style Missus!

I find C J Morgan's assertion that "there are many adults who are pig-ignorant about civics and our political system, but who are required by law to vote in elections" and that the vote should be limited to "those citizens of any age who can demonstrate a basic knowledge of Australian political and civic systems, possible via a written exam or similar" to be quite repugnant.

Should C J Morgan ever care to mingle with the ignorant herd he is so contemptuous of he might be surprised by the common sense, judgement and wisdom that abound in so many people who may not have had the benefit of a formal education and the often elegant, practical solutions they have for common problems.

But so much for democracy in your world, CJ - a totalitarian world where people have no right to vote unless qualified to do so through passing a test of your choosing.

Then you go on to say that voting should be optional too. Why so, when you have already put prospective voters through your sieve to ensure only the 'right' people are allowed in the door on polling say?