Spill

Here's Dad looking very unimpressed at tonight's proceedings. I was less unimpressed and more...absolutely furious.

So I had quite a long and tiring day - a busy work shift followed by a blood test, one of my least favourite things. All I wanted to do was come home and chill out for TV night - Wednesday nights, ABC has QI, Adam Hills and Would I Lie To You? on - three of my favourite shows, guaranteed to make me laugh all evening.

Instead, I got to watch the Labor party vote on whether Julia Gillard should remain leader of the party or whether Kevin Rudd should take (back) over. Rudd won the ballot, Gillard is out and for the third time in three years we have a new Prime Minister (albeit one we've had twice before).

I am SO FURIOUS. The saga of the ALP is just the most ridiculous thing - how on earth they expect anyone to vote for a party that can't even agree on who should lead it, I have no idea. I won't be voting Labor, and I sure as hell won't be voting Liberal, but it pisses me off that Labor will get my preferential vote because I'll do anything to try and stop Tony Abbott, the leader of the Liberals, become PM. I don't want Kevin Rudd, I don't want Abbott, and it's so upsetting to me that they are my options. I care A LOT about my privilege and responsibility to vote - anyone who's ever debated compulsory voting with me will know that - and I wish I lived in a country where my options aren't a vengeful and smug man or a religious and smug man.

When I get this angry I have to remember that at least I can vote - there are countries where women still aren't able to vote, where for anyone, voting could be a death sentence. I have the power to vote against my government, and I am extremely grateful for that. It inspires me to remain engaged with politics so that I can make an informed decision when elections roll around. So I'm going to keep taking deep breaths and I'm going to remember that my local MP is a Green and there's a good chance he'll be voted in again this year.

Wow, what a rant. This photo isn't the best photo I've ever taken, but it's representative of my day. I wasn't particularly inspired to take an amazing photo, all things considered.