Faced with the incompetent and the more incompetent, the electorate in NSW has little choice. It's either vote for the Greens, or, if you're lucky enough to have a competent example running in your area, an independent.
All governments have a 'use by date' and this NSW Labor government is well past the mark. They need a period in opposition to rebuild and refocus.
Let me say that this sentiment doesn't come lightly from a person that (normally) votes Labor. The last time I felt this way was during the woeful Labor administration of Barry Unsworth.
It's a pity that the opposition is so much worse than the incumbents. A conservative government that doesn't have the numbers in the upper-house should be nearly bearable, but the powerful conservative-religious elements have so reduced the moderates in the Liberal party that giving them control to any degree is unacceptable.
So it comes down to the Greens and local independents. A term or two of minority government would protect us from the worst elements of both parties, and would likely bring some long needed reforms to NSW. I'm hoping that the good sense of the electorate will prevail in three weeks time.
The Greens ? You've got to be kidding. There's no way any right minded person would ever vote for those freaks.
There policies would result in massive job losses, massive government debt and a never ending recession.
I wouldn't worry too much about their policies. The Greens are not likely to govern in their own right anytime soon. But they do have a different platform from the two main parties, and would be a moderating force if they were part of the cross-bench holding the balance of power.
The have a refreshing stance on political donations from property developers, for example.
I'll most likely vote Green and pref Labor. That way the Greens get paid, Labor gets govt (tho they hardly deserve it) and we avoid the infinitely worse trainwreck-in-waiting of Peter Manbed and his tory nutbar hypocrisies.
Who knows... maybe one day the Greens will hit that critical mass.
Why is it that the mention of voting for greens, independent or any other non-mainstream group so often attracts paranoid responses similar to the one above? (anon101, March 2nd)
I'm actually attracted to the idea of taking a risk with something different, because I believe both major parties practice politics in a manner favourable to big business and detrimental to the average voter. In NSW where I reside, there is a particularly blatant lack of talent in the two major parties, and a seeming willingness to overtax and overcharge for government services (compare the cost of train travel in Melbourne and Sydney - Sydney is outrageously more expensive)
Am I just a crazy risk taker, or are our two major parties more influenced by extremely powerful and biased media and businessmen than by the wants and needs of me?
We need a few more risk takers here in Australia, because at the moment we have rearward looking bores who are not prepared to do anything which might be different or unusual.
As for the argument that these minor parties don't know how to govern because they haven't been in government before, well it's time they learnt. Public servants do the job of running the country, and if someone different is voted in, I can guarantee the sun will come up the next day, and things will go on pretty much as usual.
Come on Australia, don't be scared, be courageous. Vote for change.