Compulsary Voting, Having more than 2 political parties (sort of) and other quandries

 

 

Hare-Clark Voting System Tasmania

 

Today I got an email from Landcare Tasmania which organizes volunteer groups around Tasmania.  The email contained their position on their (lack of) funding, what they need, what has been and not been promised from the political parties.

The email included a plea for people to vote, and some links to help people attain the information needed to vote.  This is the first of its kind that I have received.  Apparently there is a sort of unspoken etiquette towards not talking about politics, and specifically not trying to 'sway' people.  This, however, seems to stymie the education of people on the issues.  

While chatting with the limited number of people that I did (say around 50 odd), I was surprised by how few looked into how their representatives voted.  

There was also the straight up hostility towards the party they did not favor, coupled with a mistrust for politicians in general unless they personally knew the candidate (this being a place with a low population was actually almost common). 

Today on a.m. radio there were comments towards people voting for the 'candidates' they preferred not the 'party', which speaks to how I want to vote, and my trying to figure out if by doing this between two parties (neither are in the majority) am I splitting the vote?

If you click the link above you can see that I am perhaps not the only person unable to just do the math of our system. 

 

I have been here for over a decade but only now do I feel like I have a grasp on the politics.  The state has changed - a lot of changes together with new people moving to state, more people using social media and the internet, more people with 'better than dial up' connections.

There are almost too many 'move to Tasmania' webpages, apps, FB campaigns- it has been about five years that Tasmania seems to have seeped into the wider world, and about three years since I have stopped promoting the area myself.  

When I think of my first five years here...so bewildered that searching on the internet did not find me information, that all government information seemed to be links to large pdf files...that may or my not contain the answer I was looking for. At least my partner is paying a bit more attention to politics perhaps because we are entering our fifth decade as humans, maybe because he is thinking of us being in this home more than our other home.

 

I get too many pleas for donations from the second largest party...and truly anyone can see that the party in power at the moment (Liberal) has more money, as expressed in advertisements.  But I can't quite see how this improves anything...to plaster the city with ads.  I could only see my way to donating my time.  I have heard people express how irritated they are to get calls from the wrong voting electorate...I was not 'phone banked' but I have gotten multiple emails that seem as if the campaigns are not coordinated - but this makes sense when there seems to be a sort of 'throw as many items at the target as possible' strategy all around.

I have also heard that without the Hare-Clark system people are faced with large numbers of choices for the fives spots- so ridiculously large that the numbering of them gets so complicated it puts people off voting.

 

I have also continued to have conversations about how strange the ideas of 'voting on a weekday' - or the idea of voting being a 'privilege'  -

I am saddened by the idea that the people, the electorate can not make a difference.  I think voting on a weekend is a bit of an insult- I am used to voting being an event- with small rewards, like a break from the work day, and stickers.

 

 

 

...just a Yank...trying to be a Mate...

I have been alone, I have been among strangers- volunteering time to go door-to-door in neighbourhoods near where I live with a candidate that is standing for office in the next election.  

In part I chose to do this because I am learning about the political system and in part because so many people have lived here their whole lives that I feel I will gain insight by listening to them.

Also, the state elections here use a method called 'Tasmania's Hare-Clark Electoral System' which is apparently different from other states (which I of course, do not know about firsthand). 

We list candidates in order of preference.  I have had differing explanations of this, but finally I have found an explanation on the Internet here:

https://tec.tas.gov.au/ 

I thought I might be too fearful, but my curiosity seems to get the better of me.  I thought I would be a bit offended when people couldn't be bothered, or are irritated that someone is disturbing them...but mostly that has been okay.

I realize that really, I am the type of person that isn't always very gracious when I am interrupted and I now, vow to do better.

Self-servingly I like to have a legitimate reason to walk up peoples drives, especially to houses I have always walked by and thought 'Gee that looks like a really happy home.'

I am a bit deflated that 'compulsory' voting seems to partially make people feel like they are forced to do something unpleasant like go to the dentist.  There is no fanfare, no stickers that say smugly "I voted!".  People seem un-engaged by the process or worse, completely believe that the whole system is a waste of time.

I want to shout "Sure things are pretty good now, but they could turn badly if you do not pay attention!"

I fear, that I am looking for positive affirmation in these conversations for what I already believe, even though truly, I am trying to listen and learn.

While I had the house to myself for a week I did some repairs that took more time than I thought they would, I was waylaid by a really hot day-

I watched some sappy movies, I did my best to catch friends by phone long distance.

I have this feeling of being behind but I couldn't articulate why.

This tangle of politics will be taking up my month.

 

...2018...Forgive yourself for being blind to those who would break your heart...

Hej, Hello, 2018

I never thought I'd get to see you in person, and I surely did not for all my sci-fi book reading anticipate technology or its applications.  Thanks for bringing us 'Black Mirror', I needed a good adult version of 'The Twilight Zone' to keep me wary.

Summer continues and I am happy in the sun, in the yard or on the beach.  I am adjusting to the growth that is happening all around us...and growth feels inevitable, and at least here, a bit slower than in Stockholm.

I am continuing to educate myself on local (and national) politics.

I listen to AM news radio in the morning on my vintage tube radio.

 I try not to scream out loud when party members (aka politicians) say CONSTANTLY "Well the opposition won't make this or that better-" there is this constant rhetoric of "It's not me! It's them!" like children.

I am also trying to get over what I dislike about Twitter, because here, I do find that it is useful for quick updates- 'Why is the Southern Outlet (one of the two ways into town from our home) backed up?' or There is smoke! Is that a legal burn off or is there a fire that might spread?  or better still - the list of which sellers will be at our local farmers market.

One of us gets to stay home and one of us is going on tour.

Both of us will catch up on books and movies/TV that the other doesn't like.

Hopefully between the two of us the conversion of the garage will be finished and I will have that to post about.

 

Just a girl out of her element

I am typing to you all...from a HOT, windy day- less than a week from Xmas, only I have no feeling for Xmas at all this year.  I am listening to the new Curtis Harding via Spotify on my noise canceling headphones because there is loud construction noise emanating from below.  The office in the garage is almost finished...at least the main parts.  Not the windows, or the stairwell into the house seem to me, quite large undertakings.

Meanwhile, I do not know where the time goes...although I am at the gym 4-5 (sometimes 6!) - I would say I have been going 5 days a week but sometimes I think that the sessions just make me too tired to do much else.  I will do a bit of yoga - maybe a 20 minute 're-set', but I rarely go for a hike, swim, or bike ride like I would do when I was going to the gym closer to 3 days a week.

I have also tried going up in weight to the point of 'failure' aka leg giving out- weights dropping to the floor. Basically the gym shapes an otherwise free-form day while my better half is busy in his own world.

Here, at the bottom of the planet...hours ahead of most people I know...I find that I can untether from social media- which in turn- makes it easy for months to slip by.  I am still phoning people which is fun when I can actually get someone to pick up a call.   

 But I do feel strange when I think of the gym as being my 'constant'.  I feel my natural state is in a park reading a book.  I know that people at the gym find me odd, and I find them the same...I admire all the instructors that they have put the work in that they have to be "Fit"- but I do not really understand it.  I look at myself and all I think is maybe this is as good as it gets...by this I mean I am motivated by fear really...that IF I did not go to the gym so often, I would blow up like Violet Beauregarde in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.  I don't expect to suddenly cast a glance over my shoulder and see a toned arm- let alone muscles in my legs so then the futile nature of my actions seem -absurd and my thoughts go a bit tangled.  Where are my people? 

 

 

Half-right - Violets in November, and a post before the end of that same month

I have just returned from the mainland.  A perk was that there was forced television and radio watching/listening so that I did get to see the voting results from the Australian "Marriage-Equality" postal survey come in.  This also meant I got a short lesson in why 61.6% was an "overwhelming" majority. Eighty percent of the population sent back the survey even though it was not mandatory as voting here, is.   Obviously, I am heartened that the vote was viewed this way- and that Tasmania was not dead last in percentages, our state had 63.6%, or fourth-highest of seven.  However, legislation still has to be written, and passed through Parliament, and so far that body does not seem to be echoing the will of the people.

Even though I have tried to center all my attention on learning about Australian politics, the U.S. still spills over and soaks up some of my attention.  After a particularly funny 'Broad City' episode, I can see that much of this year has been sadly dominated by Chump and all the darkness that seems to stem from that event.  When I sit down to write I can't find anything that I want to talk about.  The day-to-day seems too unfeeling in a world so full of well...strong emotions.  

Another aspect is that I have been talking to friends on the phone.  The phone not unlike cassettes seem to be making a come back.
 So if you find the current posts lacking - why not give me a ring?

...where October went...

Despite my resolution another month has passed without my doing even short updates on this blog.  My birthday is soon and I thought to myself "What did I do last year?", and as is my habit I would come here to look.  This is the main function now that people have moved on from Blogger and/or can no longer comment.  

I think the only significant thing I did was that Saff and I drove up to sleep over in Corinna, and Stanley with the idea of getting an impression of the Tarkine forests.  We essentially drove the gold route seen on this map.  A fair amount of time has been taken up with Croquet and the sharing of our car.  

 October always has the quality of my constantly comparing and contrasting - in a way to blame my new upcoming age marker for any troubles I might be having.  

Switching back and forth between countries, and missing out on the down time of winter - takes up a lot of mental space.  On my way to the gym, I got all the way to town and the closed parking lot, before I came to the conclusion that it was a public holiday.  But then I couldn't remember the rules for parking on a public holiday.  

Here is my list that goes along with the passing of October.

Made lemon curd successfully once out of three tries,

Gardening- which involved trying to preserve many lemons, mostly I made lemonade concentrate

Volunteering time to Friends of Peter Murrell Reserve

People dropping by, phone conversations (right?! new trend), and having a house guest

Never finding the time to read, but getting a library loan, and trading in books for three new ones I want to read

The gym

Letter writing

Listing items on Etsy and Ebay...and navigating the new policy changes and wondering if this is a worthwhile use of my time

The important aspects-

Spending time with people I haven't seen in months

Enjoying the garden

Stressing over, and yet happy to have it to stress over - our home

Enjoying new music (new QOTSA)

Exploring and appreciating Hobart-town

Getting to a part of the state I hadn't been to before

Trying to understand Australian politics and trying to understand what matters to me- and where to expend my mental energy.

Stanley- The Nut- and the N.W. are definitely worth another visit- although I would camp if I had my choice.

 

 

...where September went...

I went on two trips right before leaving Sweden to return to Australia.

I have been back in Tasmania for two weeks.

Suddenly, the calendar says October.

I had a really good time in Chester / Saltney as I do each time.

This year I kept local, going back to some areas I didn't visit the last couple of times I went.  

Right after I returned to Stockholm, I went on a 5 a.m.(!) train to Malmö, to watch a long weekend of Derby. The WFTDA Division 1 finals.

I wish I more time to update my diary here, but the Internet is going down off and on with some rainy springtime weather. I will have to try again soon.