Earlier this year, Ellis wrote for ABC’s Unleashed: “Though he sued me and cost me income and influence and a lot of public dignity (I wrongly alleged he listened to Tanya Costello’s views on politics – a shocking thing to do, it seemed in those far-off days, to listen to a woman, for it cost my publishers a million dollars) I find him in person curiously disarming, and I find myself agreeing with him uncomfortably and often.

“The person he most resembles, I’ve just decided, is Scott Fitzgerald. The classic good looks, big flashing smile, easy Irish eloquence, angelic writing style, self-doubt, Catholic guilt, hot temper, Gatsby-like yearnings for past relationships long gone and luminous in remembrance, fondness for football and self-flagellation and his need for a son, all bespeak a literary genius drawn by Life and lesser pursuits into spiritual shallows and drunken remorse like Scott, poor Scott. We have lost thereby good books he might have written, and gained – what? – a cheery, self-mocking buffoon? Or the Tories’ last, best hope of power?”

That said, I would prefer a sortition-based system with elements of direct democracy to what we have now. That way, the parties would be kept at arm’s length from the decision-making process and the process of policy formation would be deliberative and accountable.

The only time we get any real idea of what “most people think” is at elections, because everyone has to vote. Everything else is a focus group, or a limited poll, albeit modified through well established techniques to make the data more “accurate”. A bit like what they were doing at East Anglia, but not that much.

I don’t subscribe to the two party system, although I am a member of one of those two parties. If you want to vote Green, then fine. The reverse side of that coin is that previous behaviour indicates there is roughly an 80% chance that Green vote will end up an ALP vote when the rubber hits the road. So if you think the two parties are truly as bad as each other, then don’t vote or vote informal. I’ve read on here calls for civil disobedience, and this is just another variety of that.

I think voting Green is wasting a vote

I can certainly see how you might conclude that, assuming your standard is “getting someone elected who can implement policy”.

Of course, voting for the people who form the opposition is by that standard ‘a wasted vote’. Then again, voting for someone who is on the backbench is also a wasted vote. Voting if you live in a non-marginal seat is a wasted vote. And voting for someone who is determined to implement poor policy is a wasted vote.

Really, voting in general is arguably a waste of time. As the saying goes, if voting could change anything it would be illegal. It’s clear that the majority want urgent action on climate change, but do we have that now? Is it even being offered prospectively by anyone near policy? No. So all those people have wasted their time voting.

Most people think we shouldn’t be in Afghanistan, but is that even a talking point within the political class? No. Most thought we shouldn’t invade Iraq in 2003, but that too was irrelevant, at least in terms of policy. Most people thought kids in administrative detention was a bad idea, but has that made a difference? Nope.

So plainly a different standard for evaluating voting is needed. People vote because it makes them feel good, or at any rate, less bad. On this basis, voting for the Greens or the ALP or the LNP is not a waste of time. People get to declare their culture and hope that somehow, it makes some difference. Really though, unless what you want coincides with what the most privileged people want, your chances of being satisfied are poor.

I think voting Green is wasting a vote, David Irving, but potato, potato.

That is MOST impressive. Was “your votes” referring only to Nickwas, or do you claim that the behaviour of all posters here can be predicted a priori?

Given that I am one of those dreaded swinging voters, and have swung both ways, where will my vote eventually end up in next year’s election/DD? I’ll write it down and check in a year’s time.

Incidentally, with such profound insight into human behaviour, one could make a fortune many times over! Care to share your secret with us here? LP could become the Millionaires Club of the future.

If the tweedledum/tweedledee argument held any water, every one of you would vote 1, 2, 3, 3, tweedledum ….

I know where your votes will eventually end up.