Saturday 24 November 2007

election day

It's election day in Aus. My daughter is casting her vote for the first time and, surprisingly, she is actually revved up, has done her research and has been instrumental in getting her mates to do their research and take their vote seriously.

My son and his girlfriend are actually running a polling booth in central Queensland. Previously my son has shown lacklustre interest. This time he's right in the thick of it.

Voting in Aus is compulsory with a monetary penalty for not doing so. K and I had a 'vote and dine' trip to Abu Dhabi yesterday, so we've done our bit.

I'm ecstatic that my kids are taking their votes seriously; it's so good to see the younger generation feeling like they can make a difference. I remember when I felt empowered! Ah, thems were the days! NowI've become one of those jaded, cynical, older people. I vote in a safe seat that is held by a party I'd never support. My vote will be a vote against the incumbent, but it won't dislodge him. I wonder if there is any point.

I'll be watching the live streaming broadcast this afternoon hoping that my vote will be part of a swing that will see seats change hands and hoping that the results will continue to enthuse the younger generation and make them feel like they can have an influence. How good would it be to see the young actively involved and pushing for change to make this a better planet to live on?

3 comments:

nzm said...

How did it go for you?

Watching the results roll in on Oz TV was amazing. Within a couple of hours after voting closed and the preferred votes were counted, it was pretty much all over for the Coalition.

Aussie said...

I felt a sense of futility. My seat was decided within a few hours of the polls closing and my vote was probably still sitting unopened in its envelope in Abu Dhabi.

Had I voted in Aus, my vote wouldn't have influenced the outcome, but at least it would have been opened and counted before the result was announced.

The funny thing is, if I'm still away from Aus in three years, the seat will still be safe, my vote will still be unopened and uncounted at the time the seat is decided, but I'll still vote ... just in case.

nzm said...

I think that there were a few people here in Australia who also thought like you - the results were so definitive in such a short space of time that it was almost a no contest scenario.

A Claytons election, if you remember that term!