Why voting Green is vitally important

With climate change, drought, energy and a sustainable future now high on the political agenda, there has never been a more important time to vote for the Greens so that we get real action rather than rhetoric.

In the House of Representatives

Some residents I have spoken to recently have said they support the Greens by putting them as number 2 on their ballot after either Labor or Liberal.

They are surprised when I tell them that 2 for the Greens does nothing if you have a Liberal or Labor as number 1.

Nobody ever notices your number 2. Unfortunately, this doesn't help the Greens or show your support at all. Your vote just goes directly to the Labor or Liberal party and stays there.

However, if you like the Greens policies and would like me to represent you in Canberra, you can vote 1 Greens, then for the other parties of your choice.

This is really effective because you actually get double the value for your vote. Here is how it works:

Select 1 Greens. You make a really strong statement that you support the environment, open and fair government and a sustainable future. If I get enough votes, I will be elected and will be privileged to represent your views in parliament so I can work for a better future.

Select 2. This is your second preference, it is your choice. If I don't get elected, your vote is distributed to this choice on your ballet paper. The vote is counted again, at full value.

• So if you would like to John Howard returned, you can give your second choice to Petro Georgiou, the Liberal candidate.
  
• If you prefer Kevin Rudd, you can give your second choice to Ken Harvey, the Labor candidate.

If you prefer other parties (such as the Democrats) above either Labor or Liberal, you can give them your second preference. What really matters in the end is where you put Labor with respect to the Liberals. Whichever has the lower number will invariably get your vote. So if you vote 1 Green, 2 Democrat, 3 Liberal, 4 Labor then the Liberals will end up with your vote.

Need to know more? See the Australian Electoral Commission notes for more details.

Make no mistake: I’m serious about getting elected to represent you in Kooyong, but given that that is a big, BIG task, it is good to be able to reassure supporters that their vote will STILL BE COUNTED (twice, in fact.)

In the Senate
Even if Labor win enough lower house seats to form government, the polls and analysts indicate they will not win control of the Senate. It is important that more Greens are elected to the Senate so that it can act as a real house of review. The Greens will ensure there is balance in the Senate so that no major party will hold sway pushing their own agendas.

Either Vote 1 Green (above the line) in the Senate (the big ballot paper) or number the Greens candidates 1 to 6 then number every other square below the line in the order of your choice (also known as voting "below the line"). If you make a mistake or miss a number then your vote will be invalid and not be counted. Ask for another ballot paper if you have made a mistake!

Young voters: get in early, make sure you enrol to vote

Many young people in Boroondara maybe unaware that recent changes to electoral laws mean that they could lose their right to vote.

The Australian government changed the electoral act in April so that when an election is called, those eligible to vote for the first time will only have less than a day to enroll before the rolls are closed.

Previously, the law allowed between two and three weeks for young people to claim this basic democratic right. It is hard to see what good effect the new provisions are intended to have. However, this law would seem to be a very effective way of reducing the participation of first time voters, of which there may be a thousand or more in Boroondara.

Parents, teachers, youth-workers and others in our community will have a useful role to play in getting this message to the young people of Boroondara.

The most important action now for those turning 18 this year is to enroll to vote right now before an election is called. This will ensure young voters are not locked out of the democratic process.

Post offices have the enrollment forms, or you can get them from the Australian Electoral Commission website. There is also now the requirement for proof of identity and a statutory declaration. The effort is worth it though so you can have your say in the future direction for Australia.

Links

• Enrolling to vote, Australian Electoral Commission

• Use this link to check your voter enrollment status online