Yes Hasbeen, I see what you mean.

Take me as an example of a not-so-usual female voter I think.
As soon as I hear something about religious issues swaying the opinions or policies of a politician or political party, I am appalled and find another party to go for!

It may not always be logical of course, but I am always worried that issues like abortion will be outlawed again, or that euthanasia will never be voted upon, or that somehow Sharia law will be considered as a valid court in this country.

Abbott will never, ever get my vote because he is just way too old-fashioned religious for my liking.

suzeonline, "It may not always be logical of course, but I am always worried that issues like abortion will be outlawed again, or that euthanasia will never be voted upon, or that somehow Sharia law will be considered as a valid court in this country."

Regressive law is always on the cards and multiculturalism can top feminism, SMH today:

'Muslim leader wants elements of sharia in Australia
PAUL BIBBY
March 8, 2010

ELEMENTS of Islamic law - the sharia - should be legally recognised in Australia so that Muslims can live according their faith, a prominent Muslim leader says.

Addressing an open day at Lakemba Mosque on Saturday, the president of the Australian Islamic Mission, Zachariah Matthews, said parts of sharia could be recognised as a secondary legal system so that Muslims were not forced to act contrary to their beliefs. ''Sharia law could function as a parallel system in the same way that some traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law was recognised in the Northern Territory,'' Dr Matthews told the Herald after the session.

''I don't think we are so unsophisticated that we cannot consider a multilayered legal system as long as it doesn't conflict with the existing civil system.''

.....

But Dr Matthews said he was referring only to certain elements of family law and inheritance law and was not advocating the sharia penal system.

''I wasn't talking about sharia law in its entirety - we are not calling for the introduction of the penal system which calls for cutting off hands,'' he said.

Dr Matthews said a clash occurred in some custody matters. ''Under sharia law, if a couple divorce and the mother remarries, her former husband has the right to decide whether the children will live with the new husband or not,'' Dr Matthews said.

''There is still a preference for the child to go with the mother, but the father has the ultimate decision.

''This does not exist in Australian law but I do not believe it clashes fundamentally with Australian values or the Australian legal system.'''

www.smh.com.au/national/muslim-leader-wants-elements-of-sharia-in-australia-20100307-pqlo.html

"Pelican, it really was a joke. "

No worries Hasbeen. I took it that way.

Suze I also believe one-issue choices can be strong such as you mention in the case of pensioners.

The other strong one-issue would be superannuants who were led to believe that the Rudd government would make changes to indexation - which of course they did not. However, the opposition has no plans in this regard either so it leaves a bit of a stalemate except for Independents and minor parties.

Cornflower
Should any party advocate for the changes you posted above, I would suspect it would be the death knell. Secular democracies don't usually embrace changes to legislation based on religious preferences. The irony being that many Muslims would not be in favour of a return to sharia law even if it is only in respect of inheritance and child custody matters.

Pelican, I hope you are right about secular societies shunning religious based laws. Happy International Women's Day by the way!

Cornflower, all this discussion about some Muslims wanting ANY part of Sharia law implemented in Australia is bringing me out in a cold sweat.

If any Muslim coming to this country is still keen on Sharia law principles, then I think they should live in a country that provides those laws.

If I went to live in such a country, I would respect their laws, and I shudder to think what would happen to me if I started agitating
publicly about changing their laws to suit my preferences!

Sharia law principles will never be enacted in this country - we just won't allow it!

What a load of stereotyping.

Anti you must in live a permanent state of disappointed every time a woman, any woman fails to comply with your narrow perspective.

Men and women are not singleminded organisms. We are not hive-people. Men are just as likely to vote in favour of issues favouring families and for equal rights for their wives, sisters, daughters, mothers, girlfriends and grannies.

Your topic straightjackets men just as much as it attempts to homogenise half the population.

Why would women EVER vote for Family First? Tony Abbott? I don't know, but women do. But then I am not privy to the thoughts of any other person - male or female.

Why would straight men vote for Bob Brown? Because they consider the politics not his sexual orientation. Why would men vote for buddgie smuggler Abbott - because they consider the politics not his.....

What is the true agenda of this topic, Antiseptic?

how quaint!
men oblige women to elect candidates to men's legislatures only and entertain speculation
as to how they may vote.
the puppet master indulging his puppet in the democracy of delusion.