Thread: Societal Norms Discussion

Originally Posted by mhailey

if you don't show up to vote (or not vote as the case may be), do you get arrested? charged with a crime? pay a fine?

Yes mate... you get sent a "show cause" letter... if your reason is not good enough you get fined... arrested and/or charged is provided for in legislation but never acted on.

Greg Frazer

Originally Posted by mhailey

if you don't show up to vote (or not vote as the case may be), do you get arrested? charged with a crime? pay a fine?

Yep. 250 euros if I remember correctly.
And the last couple of years they are serious about hauling you to court (in groups) and fining you. Before that, the majority of the non-showers got away with it, but no more.

If you have a documented and valid reason like sickness (but don't think about asking for a fake note because they have doctors driving around on election day for surprise checks) or being abroad, you are let off the hook and you don't have to appear in court.

so do you get the day off work? Here in USA you have to fit voting into your work schedule, as it is held on tuesdays.

Originally Posted by mhailey

so do you get the day off work? Here in USA you have to fit voting into your work schedule, as it is held on tuesdays.

I don't tend to pay much attention to this, but I seem to recall elections are held on Saturdays here (another Aussie can correct me if I'm wrong).

James.

Originally Posted by mhailey

so do you get the day off work? Here in USA you have to fit voting into your work schedule, as it is held on tuesdays.

*unless you are a member of certain privileged unions who have bargained to get their members out of work so they can vote for the union backed candidate.


The polls do open early and stay open late though so even if you are in a sweat shop they will be open during an off time.

I have to ask, what about freedom of speach? refusing to vote is a form of speach (making a public statement through an act or through words). Do you not have a right to freedom of speach?

Originally Posted by mhailey

I have to ask, what about freedom of speach? refusing to vote is a form of speach (making a public statement through an act or through words). Do you not have a right to freedom of speach?

Well, yeah, that's the kicker right there, and one of the arguments put forward against our electoral system (or thereabouts). On the other side of the coin, the argument goes that since we have no choice anyway, we might as well be involved in the political process... Of course, you still have the right not to vote - you just get fined if you don't come up with a good excuse. Actually, I read somewhere that you can say that you in fact *did* turn up to vote, even if you didn't - they may have marked it down incorrectly on the rolls, and apparently have no way to prove they didn't. Probably best not to try this too many times in a row if, indeed, it actually works.

In practice we've got what you might call "restricted freedom of speech". Our government, in response to the terrorist threat, recently implemented "anti-sedition" legislation. So you can say what you like, provided the Government doesn't think it's seditious (either deliberate or accidental). Personally, I think there's potentially a very thin line between this and "legitimate dissent", and is a dangerous road to start down, particularly as the government gets to decide what defines "sedition".

James.

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

Sounds to me like another Tri-Stater

Agamemnon,

What's a "tri-stater"?

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Well, yeah, that's the kicker right there, and one of the arguments put forward against our electoral system (or thereabouts). On the other side of the coin, the argument goes that since we have no choice anyway, we might as well be involved in the political process... Of course, you still have the right not to vote - you just get fined if you don't come up with a good excuse. Actually, I read somewhere that you can say that you in fact *did* turn up to vote, even if you didn't - they may have marked it down incorrectly on the rolls, and apparently have no way to prove they didn't. Probably best not to try this too many times in a row if, indeed, it actually works.

In practice we've got what you might call "restricted freedom of speech". Our government, in response to the terrorist threat, recently implemented "anti-sedition" legislation. So you can say what you like, provided the Government doesn't think it's seditious (either deliberate or accidental). Personally, I think there's potentially a very thin line between this and "legitimate dissent", and is a dangerous road to start down, particularly as the government gets to decide what defines "sedition".

James.

can you V for Vendetta!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by mhailey

can you V for Vendetta!!!!!!!!!

Maybe I already am

mwah....mwah....mwah....hahahahhahaha!!!