Nice work! On the topic of speaking up for the everyday person, here is something that my cousin wrote after he was fined for failure to vote-
I was recently outraged to receive a notice of Penalty for Failure to Vote with regard to the alleged by-election of 20th November 2004 in the NSW State Electorate of Dubbo.
It is my understanding that the late member for Dubbo, the Honourable Tony McGrane, did in fact die on Wednesday, 15th September 2004. It is beyond my comprehension how I can be held accountable for my elected representatives failure to carry out the full term of his duties. Once again it appears to be a case of the sins of the elected being visited out upon the humble proletariat (yours truly).
Not only did Mr McGrane not provide prior warning to myself, he also failed to notify me after the fact, that he had, in actuality died. An astounding lack of foresight and compassion on his behalf you must concede.
When I cast my vote in back 2003, I was under the (obviously misguided) impression that all candidates were appropriately prepared to carry out four years of representation on my behalf. The fact that Mr McGrane (who I voted for by the way) betrayed me and so many others by dying so early into his tenure, has left me disillusioned not only with the NSW Parliament but also the fundamental concept of Democracy. To punish me for this betrayal of trust only further rubs salt into the wound.
I feel I would not only be letting down myself but also all other NSW voters by compounding Mr McGranes and the NSW electoral systems grievous error, if I did not apply for exemption under Part A sufficient reason for failing to vote. After all, Mr McGrane failed to supply sufficient reasons for failing to live to me.
Should my application be declined, I will grudgingly fork out the $25 that you presume I owe, from the meagre leftovers of a weekly pay-check which has already been taxed to the hilt by, and to pay for, representatives who fail to live. For your consideration.
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