Monday, August 23, 2010

Election round 2?

If no-one can break the stalemate, we could go to another election. I know that prospect is horrific to everyone. I just have a few small requests for the next campaign, should there be one.

  • There should be no TV ads at all from any of the parties. They may send pamphlets and maintain websites.
  • The AEC should use all previously allocated TV time to educate the public about how our electoral system works. They should explain how parliament functions and how a PM is appointed. They should explain that our two party system is a side effect, not a built in characteristic of our system. They should explain how preferences work. Please, god, make them explain how our preferences work.
  • All sources of political donations should be made very public. They should be as prominent as other sources of information about the candidates.
  • Journalists should be banned from any mention of anything not policy related. Ok, that may be a little extreme. They should be required to spend at least as much time/space on policies as on soap opera.
  • And Q&A should seriously do a Bob Brown, Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott episode.

Yes, yes, I know it will never happen, not even a teensy bit of it. But I've been stunned at the level of ignorance out there. Crash heard someone on a radio station asking how a Green could possibly be elected when we have a two party system. The radio host responded that they'd been wondering that too. *headdesk*

And I can't help wondering what the people who whinged that Gillard replacing Rudd was undemocratic think about Bob Katter holding all the power.

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