Moans and Groans

 Western Australians are to go back to the polls for a second run to vote in the recent Senate Election.  The unexplained loss of 1375 votes in the November elections has caused the Electoral Commission to call for a new election just for Western Australia.

The incumbent Federal Government has made a few unpopular decisions since the elections and the W.A. rerun may change the balance of power in federal politics.  

There are a number of loonies nominating this time and today’s newspaper tells us that ten of those nominees don’t live in Western Australia and most don’t have plans to move here if they win.  Amongst the hopefuls are The Hemp party, the Sex Party, The Wikileaks Party, Smokers Rights Party, Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party, Shooters and Fishers Party, Australian Sports Party, Animal Justice Party, Stop the Greens etc etc.

Australia uses the Preferential Voting system.  I don’t pretend to know how that works, but when lodging a vote the voter has two choices.  Above the line is a simple choice to put one(1) in the Party or group of your choice.  Alternatively, below the line voting means that you have to list your choices in order of preference,for all the parties/groups shown (77).  

Now for a few moans.

There is a family living somewhere near, or in, a nearby suburb who like dogs, leave their marks.  Bags of rubbish including filthy nappies (diapers) are tossed in the middle of the road from a car.   Today I stopped to see if there was anything in the packages to identify the culprits...nothing.  I didn’t use my hands when searching.  Pigs!

Back to politics....A Federal Senator in the liberal Government  has stood down whilst he is being investigated by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.  To my mind he has been a bit naughty, but his Liberal colleagues appear on TV giving him glowing references.  Each colleague uses the same words...”Honourable” is repeated over and over.  I am guessing that the party spin doctors reckon that if that word is used loudly and often, people may well believe it.  I don’t!

                                              Mimosa Pudica