Gillard vs. Abbott: the Australian Election 2010

I really don't understand people sometimes. Everyone's going on about how Julia Gillard is the first female Prime Minister of Australia, and how if they could vote, they'd vote for her. When I ask if they would have voted for Kevin Rudd, they rave on about how bad he was and how his mining tax and all those things were the worst things that have ever happened to us. But when I ask them why they want to vote for Gillard, all they can talk about is how she's the first female Prime Minister. I don't understand why they don't realise it's still Labor, still the same policies. All they can think about is this ‘first female’ business. They don't stop and THINK. Gillard is going to do the same things that Rudd did, just with a few tweaks, to remove the unpopular parts and make them appear to be completely new ideas. 

But then, what choice do we have? This year's election is between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott. Each has similar policies to the other, and neither stands for something the other doesn't. This election isn't going to be about policy. It's going to be about who people would rather have as Prime Minister. We're going to have one of them, and it seems people would rather have Gillard over Abbott - single lady over scantily clad man. People criticize Abbott for his infamous red 'budgie smugglers', but at least he's exercising. It's not as though he's going skinny dipping or anything like that. At least we know that if he becomes Prime Minister he isn't going to die suddenly of a condition caused by obesity or lack of exercise.

I then overheard some conversations between some of my friends’ parents. They don't want to vote Labor, and they don't want to vote Liberal either. That's fair enough. But who do they want to vote for? The Greens! I don't have a problem with that at all, it's their choice. But they don't realise that voting for the Greens is like voting for Labor, unless the member for the Greens wins your seat. With the way preferences work, if you vote for the Greens above the line in the senate, and they don't get in, then your vote goes to Labor. Effectively, a vote for the Greens is like a vote for Labor. You might as well vote for Labor if you want to vote for the Greens instead of the major parties. The outcome will be the same. My suggestion if you don't want to vote for a major party? Don't fill in the form. That way, neither major party will get your vote by preference. If you'd feel bad doing that? Then fill in the form below the line.