Australian election result: a hung parliament?

[notyoueither]

Funny. The UK and Canada both have multiple parties with FPTP.

I'm not boned up on the UK, but the effect of third parties in Canada has been large going back to the 1920's. They've made and destroyed governments.

[Guynemer]

I'm all for destroying governments.

[Hauldren Collider]

Well, I think it's partly to do with the fact that your voting system is first past the post.

To get third parties and independents as viable players, a preferential voting system works better than first past the post. Preferential voting systems destroy the incentive to vote strategically.

Also you need compulsory voting so that smartasses like KH would vote in elections instead of thinking "oh it's just one vote who cares." It's a civic duty.

No, compulsory voting sort of goes against the idea of freedom of speech. Yeah we actually have that here. With a couple of retarded exceptions, though the supreme court's done a good job on that this year

[notyoueither]

Freedom of speech?

[DaShi]

I'm going to start a Centrist Moderate Party. It will be completely in the middle of the road. It will include all the ideas of zakuDL and Sloww. . . sorry, couldn't finish that one.

[Zevico]

I don't see how it does affect the right to freedom of political expression.
The system is simple:
If you don't show up at a polling booth and get your name ticked off on the electoral roll list, the electoral commission sends you a letter asking why. No good excuse? You get a fine-$200 or thereabouts.
Mind you, you don't have to vote once you have your name ticked off the list. You can walk out the booth, or enter an informal vote you like. Who you vote for is secret so they can't fine you for not voting as such.

So it's "compulsory attendance at the polling booth", really, which I support.

[Frozzy]

"The people have spoken but it's going to take a little while to determine exactly what they have said"

Politics as usual then.

[Hauldren Collider]

I don't see how it does affect the right to freedom of political expression.

Requiring you to vote for somebody eliminates fractional votes and requires you to express support for somebody.

Then there's the fact that if you are too lazy to actually get your ass out to the polling booth, why should we care about your opinion?

[BlackCat]

Is it true that at least 619.000 aussies couldn't figure out how to fill out the ballot correctly ?

[notyoueither]

They don't require a vote be cast. They only require that electors show up.

[BlackCat]

Yeah, I know, but according to Ritzau it wasn't blank votes. Sorry, can only find danish versions of it for the moment.

Edit: Just found this :

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/7804286/spoiled-ballots-up-sharply-in-australian-poll/

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Funny. The UK and Canada both have multiple parties with FPTP.

I'm not boned up on the UK, but the effect of third parties in Canada has been large going back to the 1920's. They've made and destroyed governments.

The UK experience is that no third parties get more than 10% of the seats, and only two General elections since the 1940s have seen the minor parties having any real impact at all on the result.

[notyoueither]

Yeah, I know, but according to Ritzau it wasn't blank votes. Sorry, can only find danish versions of it for the moment.

Edit: Just found this :

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-...stralian-poll/

I'm not surprised they have a high number of spoiled ballots when they have compulsory voting. Aus compels people to show up, not to cast a valid ballot or any ballot at all.

I'm actually a bit surprised they have only 5%, and that 5% is a high number.

[notyoueither]

The UK experience is that no third parties get more than 10% of the seats, and only two General elections since the 1940s have seen the minor parties having any real impact at all on the result.

There've only been nineteen elections including 1935. Small parties having significant impacts in 10% of elections is low or high? How have they effected votes cast?

It's higher here in Canada (9 of 23 minority governments in the same period). Some very significant parliaments and political events have come about due to third parties.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

There've only been nineteen elections including 1935. Small parties having significant impacts in 10% of elections is low or high?

10% incidences of things happening about every 4 years means you're not going to live to see many.

How have they effected votes cast?

With FPTP, does it matter?