This week there is an election in the state of Queensland. Like the rest of Australia, election time is depression because it is compulsory to vote for the candidate that you think will squander the least amount our tax money on shortsighted goals while we keep waiting to see if research and education will ever get funded properly. Not to mention all the corruption and shady deals done with property developers and the private sector that are being exposed (plus the ones we don't know about).
To add further insult to this horrendous injury caused by the government, you get phone calls from the local candidate on the week of the election asking if there are any issues you would like to raise with them. Well there is one issue I would like to raise: What the heck were you doing all the other 364 days of the year when we want better accountability for where our tax dollars are being spent!
The first chance that we can decentralize the government, I will be jumping on board to make sure that we never put so much power in the hands of people who know so little about what the people need!
it is compulsory to vote? how can that be enforced
@paulag - basically you are supposed to register yourself on the electoral roll once you turn 18, which means that they can check everyone's name against the list after the election and send you a fine if you didn't vote. So some people don't register themselves on the electoral roll so they don't have to vote. I don't know if the government actively chases up people who don't register. Voting is one of the 'privileges' of being an Australian citizen (permanent residents don't get to vote), yet in recent times it feels like a punishment because of poor leadership. Besides, you probably have read about some of the recent Prime Ministers of Australia who are not actually elected into office by the people but by party politics instead, typically when they think a current Prime Minister has a low approval rating and they believe replacing the leader will give them a better chance of staying in power (actually doing a better job governing will). I could RANT ON forever about this but politics is not interesting even on Steemit :(
ah politics, I could rant about this too
If this competition was on during the US elections or the UK Brexit I think the payout would be enormous! I am surprised not to hear any rants about Trump yet :D