I'd actually bet Australia is not actually very corrupt. I think they just breed authoritarianism. There's a problem with national holiday, universal voting: it means that there's basically no difficulty to overcome the voting process. If you think you might want to maybe kinda vote, the political parties will basically drag you in. This isn't a problem for Democracy itself, but it does mean that the inherent problems in Democracy are now guaranteed: people uninterested in actually benefiting their communities now get to be used as a force multiplier for specific interested parties to magnify their political power. That's the problem John Adams and Blackstone pointed out
It should be even worse, since there is a fine for not voting (I think)
That's correct. People can still "donkey vote" - casting an invalid ballot on purpose - but that's only marginally easier than just voting above the line and saying "my preferences are broadly in line with [Political Party A] so use their preferences."
It should be even worse, since there is a fine for not voting (I think)
That's correct. People can still "donkey vote" - casting an invalid ballot on purpose - but that's only marginally easier than just voting above the line and saying "my preferences are broadly in line with [Political Party A] so use their preferences."
Yes there is a fine, which is fucking ridiculous.
"I choose to wave my right"
"ARREST HIM!"
"wut?"
"Oi cunt, 'ew evah played knifey spooney?"
Well, going around waving you rights is quite harmful, others might see it you know.
I remember what my mother always told me: "Don't go around waving your rights around here, you'll put an eye out!"