The 2022 Victorian State Election is on this Saturday. Around one-third of Victorians have already cast their votes, either by postal vote or at an early voting centre.
The make-up of the Upper House is crucial to shooting and hunting interests, and there is a real danger that extremists like the Animal Justice Party could gain more power courtesy of preference deals. The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party is the only pro-shooting party that has put the Animal Justice Party last in every region.
The safest way for shooters and hunters to avoid their vote going where they don’t want it to is to vote below the line in the Upper House. When you vote below the line, your vote goes where you want it to and stops where you want it to. You only need to number five boxes (you can do more if you wish), which is more than you typically need to number on a Lower House voting slip.
To vote below the line:
- Write the number 1 in the box next to the candidate who is your first choice.
- Write the number 2 in the box next to your second choice candidate.
- Continue writing the numbers 3, 4, 5 and so on until you have numbered at least five boxes.
- Do not write any numbers above the line.
You can continue numbering more than five candidates, but you must number at least five boxes for your vote to be counted.
This YouTube clip from the VEC explains how simple it is.
Based on the policy commitments SSAA Victoria and our partners have received to date, the following parties are safe for shooters to vote for below the line (listed alphabetically). The Association will update members if and when more commitments are received from other parties.
Democratic Labour Party
Liberals and Nationals
Liberal Democrats
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party
Each of these parties is running multiple candidates in each region, giving you more than five boxes that you can number.
(Note, if you are in the Eastern Victoria Region, the Liberal Party has removed their #1 Candidate from the Party Room, so we cannot be confident that Ms Heath will be bound to the policy commitments that SSAA Victoria has received. If you want to include the Liberal-Nationals in your preferences, you should not include Ms Heath.)
More detailed information on the parties and their policies can be found on SSAA Victoria’s state election page.
Authorised by Barry Howlett, SSAA Victoria, 3,26 Ellingworth Parade, Box Hill
