Though this blog is least of all things a political soapbox, forgive this brief PSA that (you'll be glad to know) comes with no agenda or endorsement.
I just hope all you Aussies at home and abroad voted with your heads and your hearts. Whatever your reaction to the outcome, be glad that we are free to publicly air our views - favourable or unfavourable - on the government without persecution or threat; that we can speak to our state or national figureheads on national radio and television without censorship; that we can travel to and from polling venues without concern for our personal security; that we can put pencil to ballot paper without having to entertain the possibility that the process could be tampered with.
Or, to put it in the brilliant, succinct words of one Tweeter:
"Just voted. There were no militias or suicide bombings. There were sausages and a cake stand. Voting in Australia is awesome."
I am so ashamed that we are on the brink of electing a racist, homophobic bible-basher as the representative of our country. How embarrassing sending him to see Obama.
ReplyDeleteHey, the night ain't over yet. Anything can happen.
ReplyDeleteActually experts are predicting a small labor victory or a hung parliament. If Labor were to lose the election it will be caused by the swing against them in Queensland and to a less extent in NSW caused by those poor performance of their State Labor Governments. I'm not too keen on either candidate.
ReplyDeleteas an American, I just have to say....
ReplyDeleteYOU GET CAKE?!?!
Yeah yeah yeah, the lack of militias and suicide bombings is nice and all, but you also get cake?!
Robin, at most Aussie polling venues, members of the local community representing a group or charity (or sometimes the school/church the polling booth is being housed at) do what you guys call a bake sale, or a barbecue. The church hall I voted at yesterday had a barbecue out the front raising money for Pakistan flood victims.
ReplyDeletethe Country Women's Association sell the yummiest lamingtons & banana bread where I vote - it's one of the things I look forward to when I vote!!
ReplyDeleteCWA ladies RULE!
ReplyDelete