Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Albo as a young man. (Original Post) canetoad May 2022 OP
Is that your... 2naSalit May 2022 #1
Yes he is canetoad May 2022 #2
He looks older than me now... 2naSalit May 2022 #3
I guess I can say what I think canetoad May 2022 #4
I'm with you on this issue. 2naSalit May 2022 #5
I'm not sure if this isn't canetoad May 2022 #6
The Murdocks, if they did not invent, they perfected Tabloid Journalism MedRxx Nov 2022 #7
How does compulsory voting work? KS Toronado Nov 2022 #8
The practicalities are very similar canetoad Nov 2022 #9

2naSalit

(86,323 posts)
3. He looks older than me now...
Mon May 23, 2022, 12:09 AM
May 2022

But he's several years younger than me too.

I am glad he was elected and I hope we can flip our Congress like you guys flipped your government!

Congrats!

It's a good sign.

canetoad

(17,136 posts)
4. I guess I can say what I think
Mon May 23, 2022, 12:16 AM
May 2022

In the sovereign territory of the Aussie group.

Our politics are not nearly as polarised or vicious as yours in the US. Because of compulsory voting, there's no need for any of the parties to cheat, supress votes, disencourage voting and so on. I bring this up in GD every few years to the deafening response of, 'But we don't want everyone to vote because some are idiots'.

I say, don't knock it until you've tried it.

2naSalit

(86,323 posts)
5. I'm with you on this issue.
Mon May 23, 2022, 12:28 AM
May 2022

I have been an advocate for compulsory voting because I expect it to do away with problems you seem to not have in your compulsory voting country.

But we have a religion problem here, everything is turned into that which is protected in order to allegedly beat the system. Currently religion had been weaponized to promote the opposite of what religion proposes to be and uses money for rewards on earth while you wait to go to heaven, I guess. The almighty dollar is where the power lies so anything unrelated to ill gotten gains is squashed rather quickly. It will be the death of us.

canetoad

(17,136 posts)
6. I'm not sure if this isn't
Mon May 23, 2022, 12:44 AM
May 2022

A chicken and egg situation. To my eyes, your media, even the friendly variety like MSNBC are just so generally over the top nearly all of the time. Murdoch is a different animal; I believe he spread to the US because of a) Immense greed b) A receptive market for right wing ideas and c) the old Daily Mail maxim of 'telling the people everything has gone to hell and to stir them up'.

Media makes money out of conflict. There's no money in saying it's a nice day and everyone was nice to each other. So whether they will admit it or not, most media is agitating for conflict because it makes them money. I despair.

MedRxx

(56 posts)
7. The Murdocks, if they did not invent, they perfected Tabloid Journalism
Tue Nov 15, 2022, 02:30 PM
Nov 2022

Rupert's father, Keith, started his rise to fame/fortune as a war correspondent at Gallipoli where he wrote dispatches which were not entirely truthful about the unfolding disaster.

Later in the war, on the Western Front, he took it upon himself to try to influence the selection of the general who would command the Australian Corps. He was opposed to the army's choice-perhaps because their (successful) choice was Jewish?

After his return home he became the editor of the Melbourne Herald and began remaking the paper to focus on political controversies, celebrities and sensationalism. He also took ownership of the paper, and began acquiring other papers throughout the country

Rupert has continued the tradition which has richly rewarded the Murdoch family, and which has impoverished news reporting throughout the world.

canetoad

(17,136 posts)
9. The practicalities are very similar
Wed Nov 16, 2022, 03:48 AM
Nov 2022

You enrol to vote and turn up to cast your ballot when there is an election.

A summary of differences between Au. and USA:
1. We don't have set dates or years for elections. Both State and Federal elections have their own cyles; Federal is three years, give or take and State is four years. We often have early elections, but never (I think) a late one.

2. Elections are always on a Saturday, although early and postal voting take place.

3. Technically, we know roughly when an election is due, but not until the date has been called are we sure. Campaigns tend to be three or four weeks, a long campaign is six weeks. I've joked in the past about the US being in a constant state of election but tfg's announcement kinda proves it.

4. I guess the main difference is in culture and attitude; we turn out to vote because that's the way we do things. Technically, you are required to turn up to the polling place, have your name crossed off and be issued with a ballot paper. However, you could stuff it in your shoe, eat it or throw it away. No one forces you to actually mark the paper/s. I don't think many people are prosecuted for failing to vote and if they are it's a few dollars fine $20 or $30 that I don't think they make a big deal out of collecting.

5. We have six states and two territories compared to your fifty states. Elections are run by the Federal Australian Electoral Commission and the mechanics, equipment, staffing, rules etc are consistent throughout the Commonwealth, States and Territories. We are still issued with a lead pencil and paper ballots. I early voted for the Victorian state election yesterday; nothing much has changed since I first registered to vote 50 years ago. It's real time warp stuff but sort of comforting and eternal too.

6. I would imagine that the logistics of running an election are easier when you can accurately estimate the numbers who will turn up. Yesterday, being the second day of early voting, I had to wait for - five or six minutes in a queue.

7. When you turn up at the table in the voting place, you are asked your name and your address. That's it. No signature, no proving identity - nothing else. They ask if you've voted anywhere else this day, cross your name off and issue your ballot/s.

That's about all I can think off. Sorry this is a bit fragmented and wandering. Feel free to follow up with any specifics that interest you. Almost forgot to mention, there's an Aussie tradition on election Saturdays. There's alway's a sausage sizzle or two at the polling places and the smell of fried onions perfumes the air!

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Australia»Albo as a young man.