Preferred options
(This article has been lost online due to the merger of the Southern Star and Sydney Star Observer websites. Below is the original unedited article. Our apologies for any inconvenience).
Preferred options
Ok, election time and there’s a lot to consider. If queer issues are important to you, how is it possible to find out policy detail for all parties? (Policies: you know, those details that get put in third place after opinion polls and spin).
The Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group’s site http://movingforward.org.au/, (the name was in place before the ALP’s campaign slogan was announced), the Australian Coalition for Equality http://www.coalitionforequality.org.au and the LGBT health alliance http://www.lgbthealth.org.au/election2010 have all initiated surveys of party policy for this election. It’s great to see the level of comprehensive detail being undertaken and putting this together can give a good indicator of how rainbow-friendly parties are on issues – provided parties and candidates respond to the surveys.
At the local and live level, get along to the VGLRL’s event “Pommel your Pollies” this Sunday 15 August 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM, Grandview Hotel, corner Pearson & Hunter Sts, Brunswick. This is the VGLRL’s long-running “”Meet the Candidates” forum that gives you a chance to question candidates from various parties on queer issues and really get into nitty-gritties.
A critical factor in this election from a queer perspective is how wisely those interested in queer issues can use preferences – in both houses of Parliament. We don’t want to be fielding off queerphobic parliamentarians because of dodgy preference deals that may be hidden by voting “above the line.” Things to do include:
Check out details of how your preferences will be allocated at either www.belowtheline.org.au or www.aec.gov.au It may be that the party you like most has arranged their preferences in a way you like; if so, great. But if that’s not the case:
Take the time before August 21 to work out how you would like to vote so on the big day, you can order those preferences quickly on the official ballot papers once you’re in the booth
A further technique is to put the preferred candidates of disliked parties further down your preferences i.e. give that candidate a larger number
The advanced technique (lacing) can help if there are 2 parties that are disliked, put both their preferred candidates down your preference list and both parties’ number 2. 3, etc candidates higher up
Let’s make the next parliament the most rainbow-coloured in our history. See you at Pommel your Pollies!
Sally Goldner is VGLRL Treasurer & TransGender Victoria spokesperson.
