A fine for not voting.....not fine by me!

[Hewzie]

Hi guys,
I now have a greater understanding of electoral commissions. I had never bothered to find out exactly what goes on with those 'Yes, Minister' types until today.
I was under the misunderstanding that I had been chucked off the electoral roll, as I once tried to vote in a Fed election in the Hawke days but was told I wasn't even on it and it was prob cos I hadn't notified the Nazis when I had changed addresses. This was in the eighties! So, since then I hadn't bothered to rock up and vote. I'm ok with that.
However, I got a nasty infringement letter recently, demanding immediate payment of about 80 bux. Charge was: not voting in election. I thought WTF???

So I made some enquiries at the AEC today and they told me that it was for not voting in the state election earlier in the year (not the Fed election, cos those fines haven't been sent out yet!)
They actually explained that as I am a resident and not a citizen, I can't even vote in the Fed Elections. I'm way sweet with that.
They then sent me down SGTce to the WA electoral mob. They were even nicer BECAUSE.....and read this slowly if you too, got a fine for not voting....I was informed that if you hadn't been living at your registered address for the 3 months before election day, you are INELIGIBLE to even vote and therefore can't be fined. My registered address was from 18 YEARS ago. So I had to then sit down and write a brief letter telling those who ARE REALLY IMPORTANT that they should now chuck my bill in the bin.
I wonder how many people freak out when they get this type of extortion demand? It threatened me with loss of driver's licence if payment wasn't paid by due date. I can easily lose my licence by myself without these guys taking it! Give 'em nothing!

[non_quotidiun]

Ooooh my....Your' situation sounds almost identical to mine......except I haven't received a fine....yet.

[Nifty]

About a decade ago I went out on a Friday night before state polling night and slept in the next day until 5pm, registered to vote, correct address and all, never received the fine, go figure.

[Biffer]

only time i couldn't get to a booth the road to town had been flooded for over a week.... got to skip the 50 buck fine

[sprung]

Somebody I know voted in a state election but still got a fine because someone crossed the wrong name off the list or some other bullshit. The whole family went together in one car to vote, so there were several witnesses to say they saw the person get the ballot paper handed over. I said they should just not pay the fine and go to court and plead not guilty, but they said the fine doesn't give that option. They said the notice says pay up or suffer the consequences like loss of licence, etc. The electoral office was contacted and the situation explained, but it was a case of too bad, not interested in your excuses, pay up. So is this true? Are you just guilty without getting your day in court?

[SPman]

All that bullshit makes us even more determined not to vote for any of the arseholes!

[Hewzie]

The new Infringements mob simply get instruction from other depts to fine and threaten. The infringement states if you want to sook about it...."we'll see you in court". They expect you to simply pay up instead of getting a lawyer etc. No more pleading your case to someone who might know/listen/retract. Instead, it is tell it to a magistrate! Seems I may be lucky with my case, assuming they do review and throw it as I was lead to believe should happen.
As a footnote, when going to SGTce today, I tried to park in one of the four m/bike bays just around in William St, opp 111 SGTce. A limo was stopped over 2 of the bays. Like a typical righteous PSB dude, I fronted the driver. Yes, he knew he was badly parked but his clients were due out of a mtg. I explained how few bays we have and if he still refused to move I'd park right behind him. I felt like a bully. He then said, no worries, I'll move. And he did. Of course when I returned 15 mins later, mine was still the only bike there!!! No harm done.

[Commander Keen]

I wish we lived in a dictatorship so we didn't have to vote twice every 3-4 years. It's such a fucking inconvenience.

BRB, moving to North Korea.

[crowtribe]

Hail comrade Keen!

[kapyong]

I wish we lived in a dictatorship so we didn't have to vote twice every 3-4 years. It's such a fucking inconvenience.

BRB, moving to North Korea.

Tip...... Don't take your Uncle!

[ReCon]

I wish we lived in a dictatorship so we didn't have to vote twice every 3-4 years. It's such a fucking inconvenience.

BRB, moving to North Korea.

You probably won't even notice the difference except the winters are a bit colder.

[Stoneville]

As a footnote, when going to SGTce today, I tried to park in one of the four m/bike bays just around in William St, opp 111 SGTce. A limo was stopped over 2 of the bays. Like a typical righteous PSB dude, I fronted the driver. Yes, he knew he was badly parked but his clients were due out of a mtg. I explained how few bays we have and if he still refused to move I'd park right behind him. I felt like a bully. He then said, no worries, I'll move. And he did. Of course when I returned 15 mins later, mine was still the only bike there!!! No harm done.

Was that the big yellow one or the black jeepy one?
There were a couple in town today

[devolved]

Never vote. Not even once.

[Hewzie]

Just a plain limo...you know a charter vehicle plate Statesman, I think. All sweet, though.

[Hewzie]

Yeah, they don't fuck about in Nth Korea. See ya later, uncle...oh no I won't.