In the coming federal election a lot of voters will find the whole process a serious inconvenience. They won’t care who wins, won’t know who the candidates are, won’t know which parties are running and won’t vote to reflect their values. In Victoria and NSW, many will be confused by the fact that they voted in state elections not long ago; plenty of people have no idea that there are parliaments in each state capital as well as in Canberra.

In most other countries, such people would probably not bother to vote. They would simply work, play or watch sport, go shopping or do whatever else they normally do on a Saturday. If Australia was similar to those countries, this would be 30 to 40 per cent of voters.

Australia is one of only a handful of countries in which voting is obligatory. There is a cluster in South America including Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay, a few in Europe (Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Slovakia), plus Nauru, Singapore and North Korea. All the countries with which we like to compare ourselves, such as the UK, USA, New Zealand and Canada, have voluntary voting.

Those who live and breathe politics cannot contemplate how anyone could be disengaged from voting. They tend to view it as an education challenge: if it is all properly explained, everyone will take it seriously. They see a lack of eagerness to vote as simply an information deficit.

Proponents of compulsory voting argue that forcing people to vote improves the quality of the democracy. The problem is, there is no evidence that countries with compulsory voting receive any benefit compared with voluntary voting countries.

Indeed, it may be that compulsory voting makes the democratic process less responsive to the views of the electorate, as political parties can ignore their primary constituency and instead concentrate solely on swinging or whimsical voters. Under voluntary voting a candidate would need to appeal both to their supporters (who otherwise might decline to vote) and swinging voters (who might vote for other parties).

Under compulsory voting, representatives of safe seats face no democratic pressure. Voluntary voting would mean that no seat was truly safe as supporters may refuse to vote. Representatives need to be constantly aware of the views in their electorate and take no victory for granted.

My mother was a classic reluctant voter, notwithstanding the fact that her eldest son (me) was a political junkie and later a politician. When I once asked her how she had voted in an election, she said she couldn’t remember who it was apart from being the leader with the nicest teeth.

She was immensely proud of me when I was elected, and I’m pretty sure she told all her friends I would be prime minister one day, but I doubt if she even knew the name of my party. None of this was due to a lack of information; if given a choice, she would probably have never voted.

Compulsory voting supporters also worry that optional voting will result in a loss of support. Usually it is Labor that worries most about this, yet left-leaning parties have never had any trouble winning elections in countries where voting is voluntary — New Zealand and Canada, for example.

Genuine democracy is based on universal suffrage, yet the right to do something implies that you have a choice not to do that thing. It would be absurd to say that Australians have the “right” to pay tax; paying tax is a legal obligation, not a right. Making voting compulsory changes it into a legal obligation rather than a right.

The right to vote should be a civil freedom, like free speech or free association. But free speech does not imply a requirement to speak, and free association does not imply a requirement to join clubs. Likewise, the freedom to vote should not imply a requirement to vote.

Furthermore, it should not be obligatory to register to vote. Under legislation introduced in 2013, Australia’s compulsory voting laws were made more coercive by the introduction of provisions which allow the harvesting of private citizens’ personal details from other government databases, such as driver’s licences, for forced voter registration.

Involuntary enrolment and compulsory voting force citizens to validate an electoral choice which, for some, is not one they want to make.

This article originally appeared in The Australian Financial Review.

More voters is not more democracy was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Senator Duncan Spender of the Liberal Democrats has slammed the major parties for passing a bill without even having seen it.

Last night Labor and Coalition Senators combined to pass the Criminal Code Amendment (Sharing of Abhorrent Violent Material) Bill 2019.

The Government claims it had introduced the bill minutes earlier, but the usual process of introduction, where the bill is circulated to all Senators in the Senate chamber and published on the parliament’s website, did not occur.

“If the bill was not properly introduced, it cannot have been passed,” Senator Spender said.

“The President of the Senate has questions to answer about why he did not intervene, in or even comment on, this process when he has intervened in other matters threatening the standing of the Senate.

“It is bad enough when the Government forces a vote on a bill that members of the public haven’t had a chance to respond to. But in this instance, even the Senators haven’t had a chance to look at it.

“If voters vote for Labor or Coalition candidates, they are voting for someone who will vote for legislation sight unseen. Prime Minister Morrison and Mr Shorten could have drafted a bill to kill everyone’s first born and Labor and Coalition parliamentarians would have passed it sight unseen.

“The bill has been publicly released overnight. Just in an initial quick review I can see that it bans sado-masochist websites, because of a flawed definition of torture that does not allow to consensual acts of control and violence.

“I can also see that the bill fails to ban broadcasters from broadcasting abhorrent material and content. This is either based on the view that Kochie would never do such a thing, or it’s because the drafters forgot about broadcasters.”

Media: Kate Fantinel 0401 620 227

Kate.Fantinel@aph.gov.au

Media Release: Abhorrent bill passes Senate sight unseen was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Lead candidate David Leyonhjelm on ABC Radio Sydney pitching the Liberal Democrats to NSW voters.

Leyonhjelm’s pitch to NSW voters was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Media Release: Leyonhjelm marks World Water Day with final election pledge: withdraw NSW from broken water plan

To mark World Water Day, David Leyonhjelm has pledged to demand the New South Wales government withdraw from the Murray-Darling Basin Plan if he wins a seat in the Legislative Council.

“I spoke out against the mismanagement of water in the Senate and I will use my position in the Legislative Council to pressure the next NSW Government to withdraw from the failed Murray-Darling Basin Plan as soon as possible,” he said.

“We simply cannot afford to sit back and wait for the Plan to run its course until 2024. For too long, NSW has seen our precious water sent downstream to South Australia, purportedly to help the environment, only to watch it evaporate or be used to fill the Lower Lakes for a sailing regatta.

“In one of my last speeches to the Senate, I slammed the Plan for devastating rural NSW and Victoria, where towns like Shepparton, Deniliquin, Griffith and others have been absolutely devastated by the loss of water. Not to mention the shocking scenes of dead fish following the release of water from the Menindee Lakes to SA. In the meantime, SA farmers have lost almost none of their water yet SA politicians and commentators are the loudest complainers.

“Why should NSW and Victorian farmers sacrifice vital water to keep the SA lakes artificially fresh and to facilitate a sailing regatta? It’s high time our government stood up for NSW rural communities.”

Mr Leyonhjelm praised the NSW Minister for Regional Water, Hon. Niall Blair MLC, for promising to stop any more water from the Menindee Lakes being sent to South Australia.

“If I am elected to the NSW Legislative Council, I will do everything I can to get us out of this absolute abomination of a Plan.”

Media: Kate Fantinel 0401 620 227

Kate.Fantinel@aph.gov.au

Media Release: Leyonhjelm marks World Water Day with final election pledge: withdraw NSW from… was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

David Leyonhjelm on air with Chris Smith from 2GB discussing why he encourages more people to ride motorcycles and how he wants to make make the laws motorcycle-friendly.

Leyonhjelm on why more commuters should opt for the motorcycle was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Duncan Spender has been appointed to fill the Senate vacancy left by David Leyonhjelm.

Duncan Spender helped found the Liberal Democrats in 2001 and has been David Leyonhjelm’s right hand man for the past five years.

Quotes attributable to Duncan Spender:

“The Liberal Democrats are fighting to take over the world and leave you alone.

“The Liberal Democrats will cut taxes to get the government out of your wallet and end the nanny state so you can go about your business and live your life in peace.

“The Liberal Democrats are the only party in Australia standing up for liberal values.

“I will vote consistently with David Leyonhjelm’s principled voting record when I fill his Senate seat in Budget week. I will then seek to hold public servants to account in Senate Estimates, just as David Leyonhjelm has. And when the federal election is finally called, I will be seeking election to ensure that we keep up David’s fight for a freer Australia.”

The appointment of Senator Spender ensures continuity in representation for New South Wales and the Liberal Democrats. David Leyonhjelm resigned from the Senate on March 1, after the most recent sittings of the Senate, and is now the lead candidate for the Liberal Democrats in this weekend’s New South Wales state election.

“I am confident David Leyonhjelm will be elected to the New South Wales parliament, from where he will continue to fight against the nanny state, red tape, high taxes and wasteful spending,” Senator Spender said. “I plan to maintain the fight in the Senate.”

To arrange interviews please contact the media adviser.

Media: Kate Fantinel 0401 620 227

Kate.Fantinel@aph.gov.au

Media Release: Leyonhjelm’s right hand man takes up the fight in the Senate was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

David Leyonhjelm, lead candidate for the Liberal Democrats, has pledged he will be a voice for oft-forgotten commuters if he wins a spot in the Legislative Council this weekend: motorcyclists.

“Riding motorcycles eases traffic congestion, produces less emissions and is often a more economical choice,” David said.

“The problem is that the NSW government does nothing to incentivise riding over driving a car or catching overcrowded public transport.

“It’s different In Melbourne, where motorbikes can be parked on the footpath in the CBD and do not have to pay tolls on all but one motorway, where they pay half the amount of cars. No such logic is found in NSW, where motorcyclists are treated as second-class commuters and often subjected to outrageous fines.”

“With nearly 250,000 motorcycles registered in NSW in 2018, up 22 percent in five years, it is clear that there is an increasing appetite for other modes of transportation. In a congested city like Sydney, the laws need to encourage other safe means of getting around.

“The Liberal Democrats are the only party to have a policy specifically for motorbike riders. As a motorbike rider myself, I personally thank those who also opt for a motorbike and leave the car at home.

“You can support us by voting for the Liberal Democrats in the Legislative Council this weekend.”

Media: Kate Fantinel 0401 620 227

Kate.Fantinel@aph.gov.au

Media Release: Simple solution to ease Sydney’s congestion was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

While hermits, teetotallers and parents of coming-of-age-children celebrated the 2014 lockout laws, the local publican, casual bar staff, mum and dad businesses, budding musicians and thirsty tourists, to name a few, have suffered. And the Liberal Democrats have had enough.

Led by David Leyonhjelm, the Liberal Democrats have pledged to unlock NSW and end the nanny state if they hold the balance of power following the state election on March 23.

“The fun police rejoiced following the introduction of the infamous lockout laws, but the reality is that many live music venues have shut down, our nightlife is almost non-existent, and our cultural reputation has taken a huge hit,” Mr Leyonhjelm said.

“There have been many inquiries into the effects of the lockout laws, including a Senate inquiry that I convened in 2015. The latest report, from the state government’s inquiry into the arts sector released in November, makes for yet more depressing reading.”

The report found “a live music venue crisis with venues permanently closing down across the state. But it doesn’t end there. Our aspiring musicians are struggling to catch a break in a city that has virtually silenced them by forcing out small-to-medium venues where new artists typically start out.

“Sydney’s reputation has been damaged — I fear irreversibly, if something doesn’t give. It’s 2019 and Australia’s largest city has ridiculous restrictions on the kind of music, how many musicians and even specific instruments that can or can’t be played in venues. Meanwhile in Melbourne they can stay out all night and play or listen to whatever they like.

“At the time the laws were introduced, I called it a classic moral panic. It was textbook nanny state thinking; a vocal minority dictating when everyone had to go home to bed.

“The Liberal Democrats want to stop the nanny state. The government shouldn’t be dictating our music, where live bands can play, at what time, or when we must go home to bed. It’s time to unlock NSW.”

Media: Kate Fantinel 0401 620 227

Kate.Fantinel@aph.gov.au

Media Release: Leyonhjelm holds the key to unlock NSW was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

NSW Labor has committed, if elected, to establishing a Great Koala National Park in northern NSW to counter alleged declining koala populations.

Liberal Democrat’s lead candidate for the Legislative Council, David Leyonhjelm, has vowed to oppose this.

“There is no evidence that koala populations are in decline in northern NSW,” former Senator Leyonhjelm said.

An extensive research effort undertaken by the Department of Primary Industries over three years has shown that koala occupancy was influenced by elevation, cover of important browse trees, site productivity and the extent of bushfires in the last ten years.

Previous timber harvesting did not influence koala occupancy with no difference between heavily harvested, lightly harvested and old growth sites. The study also found evidence that the koala population in north-east forests was ten times higher than previously estimated.

“This independent study undermines both Labors’ and environmental groups’ rationale for closing down the timber industry in northern NSW by creating this large new park,” Mr Leyonhjelm said.

“With no discernible effect from timber harvesting on koala populations, the Labor party should be standing up for local jobs rather than kowtowing to environmental activists who will use any excuse to close the timber industry.

“The Liberal Democrats have faith in the evidence that koala populations are not affected by sustainably managed timber harvesting. We respect the timber industry, which harvests less than three per cent of the forest reserve in any one year, all of which is replanted after harvesting.

“The Liberal Democrats will not abandon local jobs to the whims of activists who ignore the facts to carry out their own long-term agenda of shutting down timber harvesting.”

David Leyonhjelm is standing for the Legislative Council and Greg Renet is standing for the Legislative Assembly seat of Coffs Harbour at the state election on Saturday.

Media: Kate Fantinel 0401 620 227

Kate.Fantinel@aph.gov.au

Media Release: Labor’s Great Koala National Park bad for North Coast communities was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Assisted suicide will remain illegal in New South Wales unless mainstream voters vote for the Liberal Democrats, David Leyonhjelm has warned.

“The Liberal Democrats are long-standing supporters of legalising assisted suicide. Individuals should be free to make their own voluntary, independent and informed decisions about their own life and death,” Mr Leyonhjelm said.

“I pushed the issue of assisted suicide to a vote in the federal parliament, with my bill only defeated 32 votes to 34, and I commit to doing so in the NSW parliament if elected.”

“In the previous NSW parliament the upper house vote to legalise assisted suicide was lost 19 to 20. So the vote of every MP matters.”

“A vote for Labor or the Liberals is likely to be a vote to keep assisted suicide illegal. In 2017, half of Labor’s MPs and most of the Liberal MPs voted against legalising assisted suicide.”

“A vote for One Nation is also probably a vote to keep assisted suicide illegal, because Mark Latham — who supported legalisation when in Labor — is now ‘re-thinking’ his position.”

“And a vote for the Christian Democrats or Shooters is definitely a vote for the status quo.”

“Although the Greens are in favour, their MPs failed to legalise assisted suicide in the past and their numbers are set to decline in the next parliament. In addition, they struggle to win the support of the other parties.”

“What is required is non-Green MPs who support legalising assisted suicide.”

“The law against assisted suicide is the cruelty of busy-bodies. Those who oppose assisted suicide are free not to access that option, but what right do you have to stop other people from making a different choice?”

Victoria has legalised assisted suicide for Victorian residents from July 2019.

Media: Kate Fantinel 0401 620 227

Kate.Fantinel@aph.gov.au

Media Release: Leyonhjelm the key to legalising assisted suicide was originally published in Liberal Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.