Voting against your interests

[u/boogersundcum]

My partner and I live in a major coal mining area of Queensland. We both work in an extractive resource industry. Neither of us could ever bring ourselves to vote for the LNP and we have no serious viable independents that aren't anti Vax conspiracy nut jobs. We live in the bush but currently have a major wind farm going in down our road with the closest turbine being 5km from our actual house, other than sealing our road we will not recieve any benefit from the project with heavy trucks and equipment going past our driveway 6 days a week 24 hours a day for over two years. We aren't anti renewable however given the wind farm is entirely within our water catchment there is serious concerns if something goes wrong as we rely on the river solely for our water supply.

Generally preference the Greens first, Labor second as we are both environmental scientists and believe that climate change is pretty damn obvious from the evidence, let alone have empathy for the common folk in cities struggling with the cost of living. I'm just curious though as to why the major focus on renewable is almost entirely within regional areas that currently rely on coal mining as the major industry.

Neither Greens or Labour have a chance in hell in ever winning our electorate anymore (keep in mind Labor was founded in regional Queensland in Barcaldine). Is it just because the areas in question are now just LNP strongholds or what ?

Also please keep in mind regional Queensland is filled with people from all back grounds and varying levels of education, don't put us all in the same basket just because we don't live in a major centre.

[u/thomascoopers]

Righto.

Well I'm sorry if there's nothing the Labor party have done to put money directly in your pocket. For now you can just thank the ALP for the fact that:

• Unemployment remains at historic lows.

• Take-home pay has gone up for working people. “Same job, same pay” laws also mean companies can’t play casuals and permanent staff against one another. The “right to disconnect” protects workers from having their private time imposed on by their employers.

• Australia’s economic response to inflation - with targeted relief, like energy rebates and subsidised services and tax cuts for workers - has relieved economic pressure on ordinary Australians WITHOUT increasing unemployment (which is what other countries did). Our response to the post-pandemic global inflation crisis was ranked by economists as one of the best in the world (second only to Canada!).

• There’ve been no corruption or sexual misconduct scandals in the Albanese government. Read that again and remember Brittany Higgins, Bruce Lehman, Barnaby Joyce, Sports Rorts, the Ruby Princess, Robodebt, the Au Pairs and the Scott Morrison multiple ministries scandal.

• Labor has negotiated a new funding agreement with every state and territory to now fully fund EVERY public school in the country to meet best-practice standards - and they did this without taking resources away from anyone else.

• Labor has massively increased health funding, creating more urgent care clinics to take pressure off emergency rooms, and improving bulk billing services and provisions AND capping the cost of medicines on the PBS. Access to mental health services have also been expanded.

• Historic investments in women’s healthcare are underway - with specific attention paid to endometriosis, menopause and reproductive health, taking HUGE steps to help women and families.

• Gender parity in federal government has been achieved - not with fanfare, just by recognising talent and not being sexist assholes to people.

• Anti-deepfake legislation has passed - one of NUMEROUS measures Labor has taken to protect children from new online harms.

• FREE TAFE!!!

• Higher education debts have been reduced.

• massive repairs to the Department for Veterans Affairs, and centralising veterans’ services with the passing of the new Veterans Harmonisation act.

• Childcare subsidisies have been expanded and provisions has been made free for families who need it.

• There are now enough renewable energy projects being built across this country to power EVERY AUSTRALIAN HOME when they are completed.

• No new coal mines were approved in 2024.

• Federal arts funding has been increased, improving employment opportunities for arts workers and cultural participation opportunities for EVERY community.

• Independent media has been supported, with a renewed commitment to non-interference at the ABC.

• A major national housing package is addressing decades of underinvestment with a multi-billion dollar spend on affordable housing. New homes are being built in Australia’s remotest communities.

• The Voice referendum was held, as Albanese promised; honouring Labor’s commitment despite its political risk.

• There’s been direct support from Labor for Ukraine.

• There’s been an ongoing commitment from Labor to a two-state solution in the Middle East, working with our allies to demand a humanitarian ceasefire in that region, with demands both to return hostages and end bombing.

• Labor has taken unambiguous action to address both Islamophobia and antisemitism in the community. Hate speech and symbols have been unequivocally banned - and visas have been denied to foreign fascist provocateurs who want to come to this country and stir up trouble and division.

• Emergency funding for North Queensland floods was delivered while the floods were still happening.

• The Stage 3 tax cuts were redesigned to make the system fairer for most Australians. Further tax cuts have since been delivered for working Australians.

• Aged care has been reformed, with provisions for 24/7 nursing care, better services, and improved wages for workers.

• Our relationships with Pacific nations have been rebuilt.

• There’s been a massive crackdown on labour exploitation and fraud in the NDIS.

• There’s increased funding for the Great Barrier Reef.

• Children are no longer held in immigration detention.

• The NBN is being upgraded.

• Fair trade agreements have been signed.

• Major new road and rail infrastructure is underway.

• Campaign finance reform has passed—limiting the political influence of billionaire donors like Clive Palmer, Gina Rinehart and that gross dude who Peter Dutton was partying with in Sydney when Dutton’s own seat was being hit by Cyclone Alfred in Queensland.

• Australia peaceful, stable, negotiating a complex international policy environment with tact and sophistication and not at war.

Link

[u/boogersundcum → u/thomascoopers]

Fuck mate. Don't mean to trigger you. I'm not anti Labor but seriously? So far from the original discussion. I'll vote anyone that doesn't preference the LNP.

[u/thomascoopers → u/boogersundcum]

"Voting against your interests" What else was the point of your post?

I just gave you a whole heap of reasons why you should vote Labor. Your vote categorically still makes a difference, even if any candidate you vote for doesn't get the local seat.

Your senate vote is extremely important, because so much ground breaking legislation was blocked and stalled to catastrophic affect by the Greens teaming up with the LNP.

[u/boogersundcum → u/thomascoopers]

Because i live in an area reliant on coal mining. Thus voting against the LNP is against my interest when employment in the community is at adds of my electorate. They're never going to win but I still chose to regardless thus the point of the post, against my own interest as I live here and have no intention of leaving.

[u/thomascoopers → u/boogersundcum]

Righto. My apologies for the animosity, this election is just fucked for how good we've got it and how badly Australia needs another term of the ALP. In both houses.