WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT DEMOCRACY?
By the end of March 2023, we will all have been asked to vote 3 separate times, for our 3 levels of Government. We had Local Council elections in December 2021, we are about to have Federal Government elections in May 2022 and we will have State Government elections in March 2023. That will be 3 times, in just 16 months that we, as a society and collective of people, get to decide our future. Woohoo!
Sometimes I hear people complain about having to vote and I wonder to myself what they would prefer as the other “better” option. Seriously, can we please think about what that other “better” option would look like?
I wonder if those people would prefer a system of Government where they didn’t have to vote? Would they then complain about the Government and the fact that they, as an individual, didn’t get to have a say? Or, would they simply not complain about anything that the Government does because they don’t really care at all? It’s hard to imagine anyone not caring about our roads or schools or hospitals or police or health or safety.
I wonder if those people would prefer to live in a dictatorship, where one almighty powerful person (or family) gets to make all of the decisions and anyone that complains simply disappears? I wonder if they would support being locked up for little or no real reason without access to our courts and legal system? I wonder if they would support torture and slavery being imposed by the almighty power, with no chance to ever fight back?
For those people that do complain about voting I seriously ask you this question – what would you like your Government to look like and how would you prefer to have your Government chosen? Seriously! I am all ears!
It is not lost on me that one of the wonderful things about our democracy is that people do get to complain about voting without any fear of being locked up, silenced or quickly taken away, never to be seen again. It is not lost on me that when people tell me that I am doing a crap job, or that all politicians are corrupt and should be sacked, that I and the other elected politicians make it safe and possible for people to say things like that in our wonderful democracy. And all that our country asks for, in return for these rights, is for each of us to wander down to a polling booth every now and then and put a few numbers on a piece of paper. Really, it seems so little to ask for such a fantastic gift.
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For enquiries regarding the State Government or its departments, or to put you in contact with someone who can help, please contact my office. My office can be contacted by phoning 4991-1466, by email to cessnock@parliament.nsw.gov.au or call into 118 Vincent Street (PO Box 242), Cessnock 2325.
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Cheers Clayton