Elections

I will be glad when the USA elections are over and we can return to normal for a few years at least.   It is a bit bizarre the way the whole world becomes interested in who is President of the USA although we have no say in the process.   Elections in other powerful countries - for example Russia, UK and France are just of mild interest in comparison.
I am glad I do not have a vote as I would consider President Obama as right wing and believe First Past the Post voting (as also used in the UK) to be quite undemocratic. It usually means that there is little point in having 3rd parties and independents as they just split the vote.  Of course the current situation in the UK disproves my point.

Some of the statements made by US politicians also have me shaking my head.  They would only come from the looney right in Australia or NZ, ridiculed by the majority, with little chance of election.  Occasionally such people are elected by some strange twist (eg Pauline Hansen) but they are usually ignored by the major parties unless it suits their purpose for a brief time. They are unlikely to gain a second term.

I also see that US citizens retain the right to vote even after they have migrated elsewhere. I no longer have the right to vote in Australia as I have declared my intention to remain away for more than 6 years.  I could have hidden the fact, I still maintain my address at my sister's home for financial matters but, as voting in Australia is compulsory, I would have had to request absentees ballots to be posted to me or send an explanation for not voting.  While I would be interested in Commonwealth elections, and did vote last time in 2010 as I was in Sydney the week before the elcction, I have little interest in the State election and none in the local council.

I do, however, have the right to vote in New Zealand.  I would not have had that right if I had gone the other way.  In fact, as a permanent resident, it was compulsory to register in NZ but not to vote.

The main point of my post is to share the wonderful news that a married gay man has just been elected to the parliament of the state of NSW.  I was a little confused to read he was married then discovered he and his partner were married in Argentina. Not sure I agree ith that if neither he nor his partner are citizens or residents of Argentina.  However that is beside the point.

The election was only held because the Liberal Government brought in a law to prevent people from holding office in both the state government and local council.  The previous member Clover Moore has been the independent member for Sydney since 1988.  In 2004 she became Lord Mayor of Sydney and was recently elected for the 3rd time.  The new law meant she had to resign as State member.  She has always given one of her salaries to charity.  Clover has always championed gay rights and endorsed independent Alex Greenwich.  He gained 48.5% of the first preference votes. The Liberal candidate gained 29.8%, the Greens 17.7%, another independent 2.1% and the Christian Democrats (anti gay rights) a whopping 1.9%.
So, with Green  preferences, Alex Greenwich has won with a two party preferred vote of just under 65%. A slap in the face for the Liberal Government.
Wonderful result

Election Thoughts

On Saturday I voted in the New Zealand Elections. I was allowed to vote as a permanent resident. In Australia I would need to be a citizen.
As a citizen it would be compulsory to vote in Australia so turnout is about 95%. In New Zealand it is only compulsory (even for permanent residents) to enroll and so the turnout was less than 70%.  Of those, 48% voted for the party led by a man who was once head of a leading foreign bank in London. So much for the claims of the occupiers that it is 99% against the 1%. I wonder how many of them bothered to vote.

Of course the result was expected so I cannot be disappointed.

In Australia there is preferential voting so you need to number every square on the voting paper.  Most states and the Commonwealth have 2 houses of parliament so there are 2 voting papers. The upper houses vary but most have a complicated system of voting and the paper can be huge (often referred to as table cloths).

In New Zealand there was one A4 size paper requiring 2 ticks. One for the local member and one for the party vote. I voted for the local Labor member who was elected. (Dunedin votes different from much of the country usually electing 2 Labor members).
My party vote was Green and I was pleased to see their vote increased to 10% and there will be 13 members of parliament.

As in Australia, it is difficult for the smaller parties to win an electorate but in NZ the party vote allows them to gain members in the parliament close to the proportion of votes they gain across the country. In Australia the complex upper house voting usually achieves a similar result in the upper houses only.

There was a referendum to revert the NZ system back to First Pass the Post similar to UK and I think the USA. Thankfully it lost. Under FPP it is very difficult for smaller parties to be elected and I would see no point in voting in future as my preference is definitely Green party.

At least the result was known a few hours after the polls closed. In Australia it can take days before a definite result. There is haggling about forming a government. However the National Party only needs 2 more in order to control the house. These will be provided by 2 parties each with one member. One party (ACT) is even further to the Right.
We wait to see who the Maori party will support. They supported National in the last parliament but it is believed this lost them votes. They are strange bed fellows.

I must admit that when National were elected to Government 3 years ago, it was a point against my move to New Zealand. However, although I do not agree with many of their policies they are not as bad as the centre right party (Liberal/National)  that often dominates Australia politics.

I am back

Flew back into Sydney last night. Have spent today trying to catch up with blogs. I did go shopping as I had emptied the refrigerator before leaving. Have still more to read.
Thanks for the messages, we did have a wonderful time.

Watched the American results in the motel room as snow was falling outside (this was in the last month of spring in NZ). They had the heaviest snow fall of the year and snow also fell in the suburbs where I intend to purchase my new home. I was, of course, ecstatic with Obama's election. Was disappointed to hear the result on Prop 8 in California.

Watched the NZ elections on Saturday night (well saw the newsbreaks) and was disappointed the conservatives won. Interesting that in a debate pre-election both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader (now Prime Minister elect) stated they were agnostic and did not believe in a God. That would not go down well in the USA.

Must do washing and housework tomorrow and the garden has run amok in just 10 days but hope to provide some more details and pics of my trip soon.

Flying to Aotearoa

Aotearoa or Land of the Long White Cloud is of course New Zealand.
As any follower of my blog would know, my dream is to move to Dunedin. My sister does not hold the same enthusiasm.
In April/May 2007 we both went round the world and clocked up some frequent flyer points. Enough to fly to New Zealand. I have since added to them but if my sister does not use them by the end of November they are lost. So I am taking her to see where I hope to live. We fly direct to Dunedin on Friday, pick up a car at the airport and stay in Dunedin until Tuesday when we will drive down to Lake Manapouri for 3 nights then return to Dunedin and fly home on Monday November 10. I am not taking my computer but am sure I will post some details and photos after my return. I plan to attend Choral Eucharist in the Cathedral of St Paul one Sunday and at St John's Roslyn the other Sunday. I plan to buy a home in this parish and have been following the blog of the Rector Available Light, Ven. Kelvin Wright.

The Diocese of Dunedin had the first woman diocesan bishop and has now ordained a man living in a open homosexual relationship, so you can see it is very different to the diocese of Sydney. While I love St James, King Street, I foresee the 2 hour train journey each way getting more difficult as I age. Even if I decide to worship at the Cathedral in Dunedin, it will only be about 4km away.

The need to prepare, sell and pack up beforehand is going to take time, especially in this economic climate.

So I will not be posting or reading the blogs for nearly 2 weeks. I will eagerly watch the news to find the results of that little election some of you are having next Tuesday. Results for President will be easy, No on Prop 8 may not be so much on the TV news. Whatever the results the shaky isles as they call them may be a little more shaky from my jumping up and down hopefully in joy and not in anger.

Eight years ago I was disappointed when Al Gore was not elected but I did not know what a disaster Bush was to become. When he was re-elected 4 years ago, I broke off all my contacts (mainly professional) with the USA. I was also angry that Australians re-elected Bush's little side-kick, Howard but I had to keep talking to my countrymen and few of my friends had voted for him anyway. I did hide my Australian flag when we invaded Iraq and the NZ flag still dominates my sideboard although we have a new government and have withdrawn.

It was the forum for the film Brokeback Mountain that had me returning to regular contact with US friends. I realise all the bloggers I follow and most of my readers will be equally disappointed but I fear for all our futures if McCain is elected and something happens resulting in Palin taking over. The thought is unbearable.

New Zealand has always been willing to be more independent than Australia. It also has a much better social reform record in gay rights. However they also have an election (on Saturday November 8) and I fear the conservatives are more likely to win.

Take care everybody. I will remove comment moderation while I am away so if anything strange appears, please do not blame me.