L
LilyM
Guest
Here in Australia we are about to hold our national elections. They’re happening Saturday next week (Friday for you US-ers and Europeans). Just enough days for a novena!
This particular election will be quite significant - the opposing major parties (we’ve got a two-party system as the US does) have very different views on workplace relations among other things. So the impact of a change of government would be felt pretty keenly - good for some, bad for others, I dare say, as most changes of government are.
Interesting being part of the process as a newly reverted Catholic. We have
a) compulsory voting (or at least compulsory turning up to the polling booth
) which is also preferential for the lower house. Meaning it’s not a simple case of ‘who gets the most votes after first counting wins’, and that who you put as your last preference can matter as much as who you put first.
b) somewhat confusing voting system in the upper house, whereby you either put a tick next to the party of your choice and the preferences are determined automatically at the party’s discretion. OR you have to put a number next to EVERY SINGLE ONE of probably 100 or more candidates. Not exactly conducive to well-discerned choices.
I do have respect for our solidly Catholic current health minister who fought hard to keep his ministerial power of approving ( or in his case vetoing approval
) of the abortion pill RU486, which sadly Parliament voted to take away from him.
On the other the current government don’t seem to be especially pro-life otherwise. Our Prime Minister is personally quite conservative, but he’ll most likely retire within a year or two and hand over to our current Treasurer who is much less so. And they do truly suck in some respects as well
Anyways, if y’all could join me in a novena that’d be great.
This particular election will be quite significant - the opposing major parties (we’ve got a two-party system as the US does) have very different views on workplace relations among other things. So the impact of a change of government would be felt pretty keenly - good for some, bad for others, I dare say, as most changes of government are.
Interesting being part of the process as a newly reverted Catholic. We have
a) compulsory voting (or at least compulsory turning up to the polling booth
) which is also preferential for the lower house. Meaning it’s not a simple case of ‘who gets the most votes after first counting wins’, and that who you put as your last preference can matter as much as who you put first.b) somewhat confusing voting system in the upper house, whereby you either put a tick next to the party of your choice and the preferences are determined automatically at the party’s discretion. OR you have to put a number next to EVERY SINGLE ONE of probably 100 or more candidates. Not exactly conducive to well-discerned choices.
I do have respect for our solidly Catholic current health minister who fought hard to keep his ministerial power of approving ( or in his case vetoing approval
) of the abortion pill RU486, which sadly Parliament voted to take away from him.On the other the current government don’t seem to be especially pro-life otherwise. Our Prime Minister is personally quite conservative, but he’ll most likely retire within a year or two and hand over to our current Treasurer who is much less so. And they do truly suck in some respects as well
Anyways, if y’all could join me in a novena that’d be great.
- all prayers appreciated, and St Mike is a good choice :yup: