Proceeding with Queensland’s weekend elections is madness

As the world teeters on the brink of the deadliest viral outbreak in a century, Queenslanders are being directed to line up next to each other to vote. Not me, writes Peter Gleeson.

MADNESS. That’s the only way to describe the Palaszczuk Government’s decision to press ahead with Saturday’s local government elections and two state by -elections.

As the world teeters on the brink of the deadliest viral outbreak in a century, Queenslanders are being directed to line up in queues to cast their vote.

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Forget the highly infectious nature of the virus.

Forget the mandated social distancing and hand sanitising protocols that are being rammed home to us at every turn.

It defies logic that on the one hand we are being told to stay at home and only venture out under the most extraordinary of circumstances, like getting medicine or food, and yet we are being forced to play Russian roulette on Saturday with coronavirus by casting a vote.

The Electoral Commission is even threatening to fine people $133 if they don’t vote. Good luck in the courts with that one.

It is totally understandable that the Palaszczuk Government would want this election completed.

People line up for pre-polling at a shopping centre at Hervey Bay.

Democracy is important and people want certainty with their elected representatives at a time of uncertainty and crisis.

But for goodness sake, this is not about people having the right to exercise their democratic vote. This is about people’s lives.

This is about exposing people to the greatest public health threat known to mankind since the Spanish flu in 1919.

This is about flattening the curve.

This is about people’s jobs, their livelihoods. This is about protecting people – including electoral staff – at all costs.

I won’t be voting on Saturday, nor will my wife and my adult daughters.

It will be the first time ever I haven’t voted in an election.

I take voting extremely seriously.

But protecting my family is more important right now than electing politicians.

I could never forgive myself if one of us – or all of us – picked up the virus by venturing outside home into a venue with hundreds of people queuing, side-by-side, at a time when the Prime Minister and the premier are repeatedly telling us not to leave our houses.

The reality is this will not be a true election anyway because many people won’t vote.

We will get a skewed result and democracy will be the loser.

Fine me. I’ll see you in court.