h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks Kea. Maybe I should drop in at the High Commission one day after w*rk, and make a few enquiries... If they're discouraging, they have the Canadians on one side and the UK on the other - the Commonwealth Club, all in a neat row - maybe I should enquire at all of them.

MMP voting would make a difference. The Territory Assembly elections are next Saturday, and that uses a form of MMP; the result is usually a much better indicator of public mood.

I'm also hoping against hope that the result here is not an omen for the US elections. *sigh* Things do look gloomy, don't they?

You never know about the US. There is a push to get people out to vote, which bodes well for Kerry. And it'd be interesting to see US/OZ relations over the next 3 years if the Kerry wins.


What was the Australian voter turnout like Ivan?

Voter turnout would have been 96% or 97%. That's the thing with compulsory voting - turnout doesn't vary much.

Compulsory voting???


az

Yep, compulsory. I don't mind - I'd vote anyway. It was introduced between the wars to combat voter apathy - there were a few elections where the result wasn't representative as such a low proportion of the electorate bothered to show up at the polls. Under this system, people are obliged to pay attention to the way the country is run.

To split hairs, voting isn't compulsory, but getting one's name crosssed off the roll is. There's nothing forcing the voter to cast a ballot, and nothing to stop them writing rude words all over the ballots either. The fine for not voting is only $50, and prosecutions are very rare indeed. Not cost-effective, you see.

Ivan, hello, I heard the result on the radio this morning. What a shock! I did not expect John Coward to get back in...

Hi. I'm still coming to terms with the full horror of it all. I was at the shops earlier, and nobody looked happy... But then, Canberra is a Labor stronghold, so there must have been grinning idiots elsewhere in the country.

What do you think was the deciding factor - or were there more than one?

The Liberals were harpng on interest rates - they're low at the moment, but were very high for a while under the last Labor government. They neglected to say that interest rates in most places were high at that time, and ignored the panel of leading economists of all political views who said that interest rates will go up soon regardless of who's running the country. The whole interest rate thing was aimed at people with mortgages of course. It doesn't matter to me in the least - the Liberals' policies mean that I can't afford a house in the first place even though I'm on slightly-above-average wages. Something to do with being single and childless, and taxed to the hilt...

The ALP's forestry policy - emphasising conservation - lost it a couple of seats in Tasmania, where the timber industry is important.

Also - a lot of people have actually swallowed all the bulls**t about Iraq and terrorism and all the other fear-mongering that the Bonsai has done over the last few years.

Never mind that, Hati! Ivan's asleep - let's raid the wine cellar!



az

*follows az*

*Tiptoes .. very fast ... in direction of the wine cellar...*

az

I can't believe Howard got in again

I've just got home from a weekend away. Heard the news last night and had to have a to cope with it. What are Aussies thinking of?

Frenchbean,

The rest of are down here in the wine cellar - come join us.

Meanwhile, I reckon left-wing political parties *must* get better at economics.


az

Aha! That's where you all are

I'll have a please.

Nope... I reckon that left-wing politicians will only get into power again once the grabitandrun economics of the rightwingers hits the buffers

It's all about me, me, me at the moment. So long as Iraq doesn't directly impact on too many people in Oz, USA, UK and so long as interest rates are low and so long as house prices keep on going up and so long as salaries increase more than inflation, the right wing will be elected.

Sorry guys... but you know I'm telling the truth

I predict Bush will get re-elected Nov 2

I predict Blair will get re-elected May 5



We're ed

*staggers sleepily into the wine cellar, attracted by the whispers and the sound of clinking glass*

Fb, I'm horribly afraid you're right. Are you still sure about emigrating?

Bloody hell, yeah, I am dead sure about emigrating. I would far rather be in Australia with Howard than in Britain with Blair

Good cellar this is Where does the come from?

*hic*


So would we!!