tao
email me i will send you something about who i am and a constitution
email:swulrich@bigpond.net.au

Holyshadow, you seem to come up with good topics.

Many interesting opinions, so far.

I'd like to ask what people think of allowing permanent residents to vote- or is that too much off-topic?

If permanent residents have lived in Australia for more than, say, 5 years and speak the language well enough to be able to understand politics, what reasons would there be for disallowing them to vote?

Celivia,

Seeing you think it’s OK for other people to stick their noses in, I’ll give you my answer. I won’t be making a habit of it, though.

The law says that only citizens can vote. I have no idea where you came from, but were non-citizens allowed to vote there?

If people cannot be bothered to become citizens, they should not, and will not, be allowed to vote. I cannot see even “anything-goes” Australia making any changes like that to the Electoral Act. Our politicians are pretty soft in the heads, but not that soft.

If a person has lived in Australia for “say 5 years”, without becoming an Australian citizen, I think they should be given the boot, as they are only here for what they can get, but have no commitment the country.

As you are a newcomer, I will add my opinion that dual citizenship should also be abolished. Nothing personal

Some residents can already vote without being Australian Citizens :)

Enrolment is compulsory for any person who:

is 18* years of age or over, and
is an Australian citizen, or
was a British subject on a Commonwealth electoral roll as at 25 January 1984.

"The law says that only citizens can vote" is incorrect.

The citizens of the following Commonwealth countries had the status of a British subject in Australia as at 25 January 1984:

Countries listed in Section 7 of the Australian Citizenship Act:

Bahamas (Commonwealth of the)
Bangladesh (People's Republic of)
Barbados
Botswana (Republic of)
Canada
Cyprus (Republic of)
Fiji
Gambia (The)
Ghana (Republic of)
Guyana
India (Republic of)
Jamaica
Kenya (Republic of)
Lesotho (Kingdom of)
Malawi (Republic of)
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
Nauru (Republic of)
New Zealand
Nigeria (Federal Republic of)
Sierra Leone
Singapore (Republic of)
Sri Lanka (Republic of)
Swaziland (Kingdom of)
Tanzania (United Republic of)
Tonga (Kingdom of)
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
United Kingdom and Colonies
Western Samoa (Independent State of)
Zambia (Republic of)
Countries included in Citizenship Regulation 5A:

Antigua and Barbuda
Belize
Dominica (The Commonwealth of)
Grenada
Kiribati
Maldives (Republic of)
Papua New Guinea (Independent State of)
Ireland*
Saint Lucia
Solomon Islands
Seychelles (Republic of)
St Christopher and Nevis
St Vincent
Tuvalu
Vanuatu (Republic of)
Zimbabw

Leigh
“Seeing you think it’s OK for other people to stick their noses in, I’ll give you my answer.”
You’ve made my day :+)

To answer your question, I’m from The Netherlands, and yes they allow permanent residents to vote after they have been living in The Netherlands for five years.
Politics gives a better reflection of a society when permanent residents are able to vote.

Steve,
"The law says that only citizens can vote" is incorrect.”
Thanks for this information; I guess many people, like Leigh and I, didn’t know that Australian residents from all of these countries are able to vote!

I think this is a good thing (I just wished my country was on that list, too!).
An important part of integration is participation in politics.

Holyshadow,
I thought that since it’s compulsory to vote, people who do not vote would be fined? I remember one of my neighbours was fined (I think $100) for not voting a few years ago.

I don’t really like the idea of compulsory voting because it’s not democratic and because many people don’t have an interest in politics; quality of voters is better than quantity. Voluntary voting may also make the parties work a bit harder to get their votes.

Instead of imposing voting, the government should aim to create more interest and opportunities for people to be educated in politics and voting procedures, since many disinterested people, I believe, find politics too complicated and can’t see the forest for the trees.
For example, free, independent, political education lessons could be organised at neighbourhood/community centres or at schools or TAFE before election time.
Or it would be good if there was a free political education course website.

But I’m with you, holyshadow, that people who complain about the government have no grounds to complain if they don’t bother voting for a different government.