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Issue No. 239 | 24 September 2004 |
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Moral Victories
Interview: True Matilda Politics: State of Play Industrial: Capital Dilemmas Unions: Rhodes Scholars National Focus: Rennovating the Lodge International: People Power Economics: A Bit Rich History: Mine Shafts Safety: Sick Of Fighting Organising: Building a Wave Poetry: Anger In The Bush(es) Review: The Battle Of Algiers Culture: The Word On The Street
The Soapbox Politics Postcard The Locker Room Postcard
 I Say I Say I SayI Say I Say I Say IIVote Early, And OftenNo Surplus Of Generosity
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Letters to the Editor Vote Early, And Often
Understanding your vote on October 9th 2004. Both Labour and the Coalition do not want you to know that in fact you have four votes on the 9th October. In Australia we only have a say or vote if we vote in the majority� because it is a democracy. The system denies every vote of all minority supporters, this is because a democracy always discriminates. The media often uses this fact by the owner� of that particular source of media limiting and favouring their particular political affiliation by stifling individual reporters unbiased articles, or articles that may give support to an opposition group or individual. In most electorates your only real vote is who you place first out of Labour and Liberal, this means that if your first preference is to see an independent or minor party elected: o To make politicians earn their money rather than just �vote party�, o To make politicians see there is a limit to the tax they can take from the people. o To give your vote some �real power� and make some changes in the system. o To provide yourself with an effective politician, to be able to go and �talk with in person�. Your vote on the 9th October for the House of Representatives: If you want to give the Government the strong message that they are hurting your wallet because of the $800 Billion they take from the people; then understand that you can hurt their wallets directly (as a party not as the government) by NOT placing Labour or Liberal first or second on your ballot form. This is because your first vote receives $1.94 provided they receive more than 4% of the votes for your electorate. The first vote of every Australian on the 9th October will see the major party�s receive more than $15 million dollars each, so if the people of Australia want to give a powerful message to the major parties, then place both major parties well down on your ballot paper. So you have in effect two votes in the House of Representatives: 1. Vote for your preferred member in the House of Representatives. 2. Vote for who receives the money for your vote in the House of Representatives. Your vote on the 9th October for the Senate: The Senate ballot paper is designed so that most people take the easy way out and only have to make one tick, there is no legal basis under the Australian Constitution for making a �party vote�, as Australians are meant to be electing �a person as a representative� not a party. In effect if we vote and support a Party, not an individual then we forfeit our Representatives vote in the Parliament. The Party member is forced by the Party to vote Party, otherwise they loose preselection and most likely loose their seat in parliament (under the present system which is biased toward Party dominance). To quote a candidate in an earlier election; �I don�t care what the people want, I will vote �Party��. Most Australian political Parties do not allow for independent or conscious votes, this is why when a political leader states �I will do� something in parliament he or she means they will force your representative to vote �Party� not the will of the people. Your vote on the 9th October for the state representatives in the Senate also results in a payment of $1.94 to your first vote. By selecting a Party as your �Senate vote� you forfeit your right to vote for a person to represent you and the Party receives many $Millions across Australia. Your vote in the Senate also gives each individual voter two votes (unless you vote �Party�): 1. Vote for your preferred member in the Senate. 2. Vote for who receives the money for your vote in the Senate. Total election public funding paid after the 2001 federal election was $38,559,409.33. Candidates and Senate groups become entitled to a payment of election public funding if they obtain at least 4% of the formal first preference votes in the election they contested. The entitlements of candidates endorsed by a registered political party are paid to the party, while those for unendorsed candidates are paid directly to the candidate (or agent, if appointed). The rate of election funding at this election was 179.026 cents per formal first preference vote for both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The amount paid of $38,559,409.33 is equal to 10,769,220 voters, voting in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Set out below is a break-up of the amounts paid to parties and candidates. Parties $ Australian Labor Party (ALP) 14,917,024.57 Liberal Party of Australia (LP) 14,492,349.83 National Party of Australia (NP) 2,845,193.98 Australian Democrats (DEM) 2,411,689.69 Pauline Hanson�s One Nation (PHON) 1,709,752.00 Australian Greens (AG) 1,370,734.04 The Greens WA � Inc 223,129.05 Northern Territory Country Liberal Party 138,997.58 Unity - Say No To Hanson 17,689.55 liberals for forests 14,332.82 Christian Democratic Party NSW (Fred Nile Group) 7,647.99 Progressive Labour Party 7,327.53 No Goods and Services Tax Party 5,488.94 Candidates ANDREN Peter James- Calare NSW 73,017.54 WINDSOR C Antony Harold - New England NSW 64,435.04 KATTER B Robert Karl - Kennedy QLD 63,652.69 MacDONALD Peter Alexander - Warringah NSW 38,472.69 THEOPHANOUS Andrew Charles - Calwell VIC 15,023.86 PAULGER S Shane Peter - Fairfax QLD 13,460.96 MELVILLE Peter Lloyd - Hinkler QLD 12,794.99 BOWN Conway - Herbert QLD 11,588.35 COCHRAN Peter Lachlan � Eden-Monaro NSW 11,522.11 HOURIGAN Rosalind - Fisher QLD 10,745.14 COOPER Thomas James - Page NSW 9,814.21 MCINTOSH Nelson Douglas - Indi VIC 9,459.73 KESSELS Colin James - Dickson QLD 9,314.72 STEGLEY Kristin - Goldstein VIC 8,605.78 HAIGH Bruce Douglas - Gwydir NSW 8,301.44 TREASURE Douglas Harry - Gippsland VIC 7,606.81 MOTT William Trevor - Cunningham NSW 7,581.75 DOUGLASS Ross Thomas - Mallee VIC 6,631.12 WICKS Graeme Francis - Wide Bay QLD 6,051.08 DALGLEISH David Bruce - Wide Bay QLD 5,714.51 AUSTIN Pauline Maisie - Solomon NT 4,257.24 Total $38,559,409.33 Dennis Gill
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