The 2 Party system

Message / Question

Is liberal and labor really a true choice? Isn't THAT the reason to vote for one of the smaller parties? You should vote for a party based on their POLICY, and not just because they're big, i think this is a point that seems to be missing in this debate... Thats why i vote christian parites anyway :)

Response

There are a lot of similarities between the two major political parties in Australia, as both parties try to take the middle ground rather than representing their traditional right and left wing ideals. So, you are right when you say that there’s not a lot of difference at present – but there is enough of a difference in some policy areas to favour one over the other.

But there is another reality that simply can’t be ignored. The major parties are known as “parties of government” – that is to say that it is a given that either Labor or the Coalition will win enough seats to form a government. At this point in time, the next largest group is the Greens and they are a LONG way from winning enough seats in any Australian parliament (i.e. State or Federal) to hope to form a government. So whilst you should vote on policies as you noted, you also have to face the reality that one of the “big 2” will form government, so you have to choose which of them you prefer and vote accordingly. A vote for a Christian party in any lower house of any Australian parliament, is still little more than a protest vote – your preferences end up as your “real” vote. Where there is optional preferential voting, you could simply vote 1 for your Christian party and not list any further preference. Whilst that would make a “statement”, it would also waste your vote in that it will fail to help the major party that you would prefer to win the seat in which you are voting – so if the “wrong” person wins, you have effectively supported their election. HOWEVER, when voting for the Upper House of most Australian parliaments, the voting system is different and Christians have a reasonable chance (at least as much of a chance as any other minor party) of gaining a seat and potentially affecting the balance of power in that Upper house (the Senate federally, the Legislative Council in most States). So vote for your Christian party there for sure BUT make sure that you think about your preferences beyond that. If the Christian party for whom you voted “1” doesn’t win a seat, who would you next prefer to get in? That becomes your second preference – keep asking the same question and allocating preferences until AT LEAST your preference gets to a major party.