When Simpsons aliens Kodos and Kang conquer the Earth, they remind the puny Earthlings that “It’s a two party system! You have to vote for one of us!” Our own alien overlords, the major parties (Labour/National, Liberal/Labor, Republican/Democrat, and so on) seem to think much the same way.
It’s a two-party system, and that’s just how they like it.
Any foot that independents and minor parties try to get in the parliamentary door is firmly stomped on. When the major parties colluded, just a few years ago, to “reform” Australia’s upper house voting rules, the supposed intent was to put an end to “preference whispering”. It’s just a happy coincidence, I’m sure, that in practise the move has made it that much harder for smaller politicians to get elected.
From registration requirements to voting rules, the political class will do anything to keep us plebs from soiling their plush velvet benches. Even if they have to sic the watchdogs onto us.
Former basketball star Andrew Bogut has hit out at Victoria’s electoral commission for cautioning him over the sharing of a video calling on voters to “vote out” state crossbench MPs, saying he is an individual with the right to speak out.
A notice sent to Mr Bogut from the Victorian Electoral Commission said the video, which urged people not to vote for three crossbench supporters of pandemic legislation that passed state parliament last year, was likely electoral advertising.
Bogut, it might be noted, is neither a candidate for office nor a representative for any party.
The Victorian Electoral Commission also told Mr Bogut in the December 10 notice that the video could be in breach of electoral laws because it did not contain the address or name of the person who authorised the material.
Mr Bogut said there was an authorisation declaration on the website the video linked to but said ultimately it shouldn’t matter because he is not supporting a political party.
“I don’t need authorisation, I’m an individual, I’m not a political party, I’m not someone who’s backing any political party – I don’t back political parties,” he said.
He said he knew VEC was meant to be non-partisan but “given the amount of corruption nothing would surprise me.”
The upshot of this is clear: if the VEC persists in targeting individuals posting such material, it will clearly have a chilling effect on political speech.
A VEC spokeswoman said Bogut was free to make his views known but if they related to electoral matters, they must carry authorisation under the law.
Does this mean, for instance, that anyone saying, “I wouldn’t vote for Jones, he’s a slippery crook”, has to follow up with a “written and authorised by” statement?
It’s no surprise that this happened in Victoria. This is the state, after all, where pregnant women posting on Facebook are arrested in their own homes for “sedition”. Yet, the ruling Labor party brazenly uses taxpayer funds to run its election campaigns and gets away with it.
[Bogut] emerged as a critic of the Victorian government over the pandemic and has been outspoken on social media and in his podcast Rogue Bogues against the six lockdowns and public health restrictions.
The video features Reason Party leader Fiona Patten, Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam and Animal Justice MP Andy Meddick and concerns Victoria’s pandemic legislation, which the three crossbenchers were key to passing.
The Australian
Welcome to the Republic of Dandrewstan, comrade. The beatings will continue until morale improves.