sonofgloin,

If that's all you got from the comic I linked to then you may have missed the point. Even if one of the two big parties still win, your preferences can help to send them a message with regards to which direction you want them to go in or what the public's priorities are.

Toni Lavis,

Yes, making sure you know where your preferences are going is an important point that I should have added.

Yes AJ Phillips, I know what you mean. I should have said that I wouldn't waste my vote on one of the 'crazy' minor parties out there, like the Shooters & Fishers etc.

I may not choose either Labor or Liberals yet, as I remain undecided.
I believe that I will choose 'under the line' on my voters card too, just to make absolutely sure that I don't in any way endorse some of those bizarre parties up for election this year....

Dear SOG,

Thanks for this discussion.

I, like Suse am also now unsure of whom I am going to vote
for. I had such high hopes for Malcolm Turnbull, and I
was so unimpressed with Bill Shorten. Now I'm not so sure.

I watched the debate this evening between the two men.
I agree with John Hewson who afterwards when asked which
of the two leaders -
made the biggest impression, stated that neither of the two
really gave us much of any substance. And, therein lies
the problem.

Obedience to the Party line, the cessation of thoughtful
questioning and just the complacent repetition of empty
"truths," just doesn't work any more.

I think that most people would like to see our politicians
think critically about their politics and give the public
decent answers as to what they intend to do and
how they are going to do it. Quoting catch phrases doesn't
say very much.

cont'd ...

I also want to add that I won't be voting for any
minor party either.

Dear Tony,

<<but if you vote above the line in the senate then whichever party you vote for decides where your preferences go.>>

This is HISTORY.

I'm surprised that you are not up to date - the election laws have changed, there are no longer any party preferences: from now on you need to mark your own preferences and only what you mark counts.

I still believe that kicking out the two dinosaurs is very important, so though I'm neither Christian nor atheist, I'll place both 'I Love Jesus Party' and 'Atheist Alliance' ahead of the dinosaurs. The differences between them can be sorted out later or they themselves could agree on some compromise between them once they have between them sufficient numbers to form a coalition that will kick the dinosaurs out for good.

AJ, I did read the entire script, as you mentioned the script suggests that politicians receiving preference votes from another candidate may change their policies........I doubt it.

Dear Foxy......you will not be voting for a minor party?............you should be able to find one that suits given the Senate voting changes have done little to quash the aspirations of micro groups, with the largest number of political parties in the nation’s history preparing to contest the election. The Australian Electoral Commission has approved 56 parties for the July poll and 22 of those have registered for the first time.