How did Covid 19 impact upon your vote?

[Gazza]

I'm curious, was this a big issue for you at this election, or were you focused on other issues.

[techblitz]

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/annastacia-palaszczuk-chalks-historic-queensland-election-win-up-to-her-coronavirus-response

"And, you know, I think there was a lot of concern, especially for our elderly and more vulnerable members of our community, about the impact that COVID could have on peoples lives."

It will take time to confirm it....but there is simply too much early commentary to categorize this as a covid irrelevant - normal election win..

Meanwhile ON/LNP need to muster up the courage and admit they shouldn't have been so vocal on opening the borders....and also admit underestimating how many of thier elderly supporters wanted them shut.

[timh]

I was never gonna vote anything right of centre anyway so I was pretty set. Certainly the ALP response helped, if the borders were open and the COVID situation worse under Labor I may have reconsidered, but the way it is currently it was a given. Transport infrastructure and climate change action is a big consideration for me (hence why I'm a member here)

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[Cazza]

^ditto

[verbatim9]

Definitely other issues for me.

[Andrew]

To be honest, I was wary of voting LNP. There are issues I am against Labor on (abortion, euthanasia for example). I just didn't trust the LNP. It's probably PTSD from Campbell Newman and the fact Deb Frecklington was part of his government. What just about sealed it though was Deb calling for the borders to be re-opened. Annastacia didn't and a month later, we were a hell of a lot better off for it. Me personally thinks that affected the view of a lot of voters. It was a tough choice for me right to the end. Yvette D'Arth is my local member in the seat of Redcliffe and as Attorney General, she enacted appalling abortion laws allowing for termination up until full term under certain criteria. I really wanted to vote against her but I could not stomach an LNP goverment.

If the LNP are to have any hope of winning, they need to get rid of anyone who had anything to do with Campbell Newman off the frontbench. They need a fresh leader and fresh policies. They are too focused on finances and that makes everyone scared they're gonna cut again (even if they're not). I think the other major factor is that people I find tend to vote Labor at state level when Lib/Nat are in power Federally for a while. It happened under John Howard.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents worth...

[achiruel]

I doubt I would've voted any differently than I did regardless of COVID-19, which is not to say I didn't consider the issue, but it didn't way my vote. It may have, had I considering voting in a different way, though.

[STB]

I'm immune suppressed with a life threatening long term medical condition.  My specialist has said that if I got COVID 19, it'd basically be a death sentence for me, so any government who is strong on keeping the community safe from this virus gets an automatic vote from me.

[Gazza]

Yvette D'Arth is my local member in the seat of Redcliffe and as Attorney General, she enacted appalling abortion laws allowing for termination up until full term under certain criteria.

In reality, I think the number of late term terminations would be extremely low, and as you said only in certain circumstances.

If a mother has carried to that late in the pregnancy, they are likely at the point where they have picked a name, bought a cot etc, so it's clearly having to abort then is a 100% different set of circumstances and a much more heartbreaking situation than a regular termination where people just dont want a child.

[achiruel]

Yvette D'Arth is my local member in the seat of Redcliffe and as Attorney General, she enacted appalling abortion laws allowing for termination up until full term under certain criteria. I really wanted to vote against her but I could not stomach an LNP goverment.

You call it appalling, I am glad that women can access safe and legal abortions in Queensland without threat of criminal prosecution and not having to resort to "back yard" operators.

[Andrew]

Yvette D'Arth is my local member in the seat of Redcliffe and as Attorney General, she enacted appalling abortion laws allowing for termination up until full term under certain criteria. I really wanted to vote against her but I could not stomach an LNP goverment.

In reality, I think the number of late term terminations would be extremely low, and as you said only in certain circumstances.

If a mother has carried to that late in the pregnancy, they are likely at the point where they have picked a name, bought a cot etc, so it's clearly having to abort then is a 100% different set of circumstances and a much more heartbreaking situation than a regular termination where people just dont want a child.

After 22 weeks, it has to be approved by two Doctors and, among other things, must take into account the persons current and future social circumstances, so it's not that high a bar. My main bug bear is abortions of convenience where it's like "oops I got pregnant" and they just get a termination. Obviously in life, there are going to be more complicated, less straight forward situations and I am willing to be more understanding in those.

You call it appalling, I am glad that women can access safe and legal abortions in Queensland without threat of criminal prosecution and not having to resort to "back yard" operators.

I am trying to avoid a prolonged, heated discussion on this but I would encourage you to read the laws. A medical practitioner can conscientiously object due to personal beliefs but must refer them to someone who will which I think is a cop out. It's like asking a pacifist who's drafted to find someone else to fight instead of them.

Secondly, this legislation restricts the right of people to protest. You are not allowed to protest within 150m of a clinic. This overrides the Peaceful Assembly Act 1992 (Qld) which facilitates peoples right to peacefully protest. You are even banned from recording people entering or exiting a clinic or putting up signage within that area. I am not aware of any other places (outside of perhaps some government or judicial institutions) that get that much legal protection.

Thirdly, prior to 22 weeks, a patient can get an abortion no questions asked which means that people are able to essentially select their children (India for example is well known for its killing of female babies by some of the population). As far as I'm concerned, abortion cheapens human life. A baby's heart beats at 6 weeks.

In reality, all I was trying to do initially was answer Gazza's question about how much of an impact COVID-19 had on my vote.

[STB]

To be honest, I was wary of voting LNP. There are issues I am against Labor on (abortion, euthanasia for example). I just

Are you against euthanasia?

Personally I support it, if I were in a position where further treatment will cause more harm than good and death was a more friendly outcome, I'd want that option without criminalization or stigmatization.  At the end of the day, it's my body, so my rules, as long as I'm not harming others, I should have a right to end my life if that is the most humane thing to do.

[aldonius]

I am, in general, very much in favour of people being able to hold protests. I'm OK with the exclusion zones around clinics.

You are even banned from recording people entering or exiting a clinic

If I came across someone recording who was entering or exiting an abortion clinic (and they weren't, y'know, the receptionist) I would make the entirely justifiable assumption that they would later be committing harassment. 

[achiruel]

I am trying to avoid a prolonged, heated discussion on this but I would encourage you to read the laws. A medical practitioner can conscientiously object due to personal beliefs but must refer them to someone who will which I think is a cop out. It's like asking a pacifist who's drafted to find someone else to fight instead of them.

I'm quite familiar with the laws. I'm also familiar with the fact that criminalising abortion does not in fact reduce the rate of abortion, it just makes it less safe.

Secondly, this legislation restricts the right of people to protest. You are not allowed to protest within 150m of a clinic. This overrides the Peaceful Assembly Act 1992 (Qld) which facilitates peoples right to peacefully protest. You are even banned from recording people entering or exiting a clinic or putting up signage within that area. I am not aware of any other places (outside of perhaps some government or judicial institutions) that get that much legal protection.

You can blame your fellow anti-abortionists for that, as what they were doing was in fact often not protesting but rather harassing and assaulting people who visited the clinics (often times not even for abortions but for other reproductive services).

In reality, all I was trying to do initially was answer Gazza's question about how much of an impact COVID-19 had on my vote.

Yet you brought up two very controversial abortion and euthanasia, and expect no-one to respond?

[Andrew]

Are you against euthanasia?

Overall, yes. I can understand some of the arguments made, particularly on compassionate grounds. "Why prolong the suffering?" is a compelling argument. The reason I am against it overall is that I think it opens a can of worms. The key argument for euthanasia essentially centres around the question of "quality of life". Now on face value, it has merit. But we can then start to move in unexpected directions. What about people with severe disabilities? Or people (like myself) who suffer depression? Who decides what a good quality of life is?

The Netherlands has allowed euthanasia since 2002.  People as young as 17 can decide to be euthanised if they meet the criteria. Kids between 12 and 16 can as well with parental consent. The devil is in the detail. Although the law is most likely aimed at those with terminal illness, it could be applied to other situations as well. Like I said, can of worms.

I'm quite familiar with the laws. I'm also familiar with the fact that criminalising abortion does not in fact reduce the rate of abortion, it just makes it less safe.

{SNIP}

You can blame your fellow anti-abortionists for that, as what they were doing was in fact often not protesting but rather harassing and assaulting people who visited the clinics (often times not even for abortions but for other reproductive services).

I don't agree with the manner in which some anti-abortion protesters conduct themselves. Harassing and assaulting people does not endear people to you or your cause. If anything, I think the people seeking abortions need compassion and support more than anything. But that still not change the fact that legal abortions are fundamentally state sanctioned infanticide. Then to compound this situation by restricting peoples freedom to peacefully protest I find a really appalling situation to be in.

At the end of the day, I am more than happy to agree to disagree on things. I think people these days don't do nearly enough of that.