Don’t Know Who to Vote For?

29/04/2019

EDIT 26/11/2019: This post is about the Australian Federal election of 2019. For any UK visitors, please go to UK Election: Vote Labour. For any US visitors preparing for 2020, vote for Sanders or at least a Democrat with some respectable stances. If you are a Republican or a Trump voter, you probably will not enjoy this website.

I know many people who, due to a lack of interest in politics or such a simplistic view of it that they believe all the parties are as bad as each other, have said that they do not know who to vote for in the upcoming Federal election. Coalition, Labor, One Nation, Greens, god forbid Palmer – tough choice indeed. But if you really don’t know who to vote for, then there is one issue that you should base your vote on – climate change.

I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s become more pronounced as I have spoken to more and more people who appear to be despondent. One lady I spoke to, who is quite a fan of Pauline Hanson (even though she admitted Hanson was an idiot and a puppet), said the Coalition and Labor were hopeless, and only saw the Greens through the lens of “we’d be at a standstill because they wouldn’t let any production occur”. Her claim was that if the Greens had power that no trees would get cut down – I saw no point in arguing that their entire thing was about sustainability, not simply saying no.

It was mildly infuriating, however, because she also admitted that she knew very little about the state of politics in the last decade or two – her references were based mostly on pre-Howard years. Another person, who I’ve had small discussions with in between our university project work, said that all the options were ‘shit’ and that ‘we need to throw the whole lot out’. I agree, but perhaps abolition of state power wasn’t what he had in mind – he just hates politicians. But he said he did not know how he was going to vote come election day.

To those people, I say take the time to look at environmental policy. Being displeased with the current government and the available parties is a reasonable stance, and I won’t fault people for not being particularly interested in such things either. But even if you are not politically informed, at the very least people should be taking a keen interest in environmental causes and policies.

From the global school strikes, inspired by Greta Thunberg and kickstarted by Australian students last year, to the Extinction Rebellion in the UK, to anti-Adani protesters in Brisbane – the people are speaking up and demanding action. We have a limited time in which to change our ways and transition to renewables, so make your vote count towards this vital issue.

The Coalition has been pushing for increasingly damaging policies regarding the environment, and while Labor is not perfect, they at least have some plan and goals. The Greens are, obviously, the best choice for this – they aren’t called the Greens for nothing.

Elections are our opportunity to dictate the future of our country and the world. Alongside the protests, support of non-profit organisations, etc. they give you a voice. If you feel that no politician or party in particular deserves your support, then lend it to the environment and vote accordingly.

What’s the worst that could happen – taking a breath of fresh air and having a drink of clean water? Despondency or ‘protest’ voting will get you nowhere.

Liked this? Read Earth Hour? We Need Action, Not Fleeting Goodwill

Previous piece: The Spectrum of Debate