IN among election fever - NSW and federal elections, that is - candidates and the parties they represent are fighting for your vote, not your voice as they have you believe.
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A challenge political parties face is obtaining the awareness and improving the attentiveness of first-time voters.
When done effectively, capitalising on unwary youth can prove successful.
This was demonstrated in the recent policy announcement from the NSW Greens.
A $35 million investment into music festivals and the introduction of pill testing was announced if the NSW Greens were elected in the bygone NSW election.
This impractical announcement served only to please and buy votes off discontented teens displeased by the Berejiklian Government's attitude to music festivals.
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Luckily (in my opinion), the NSW Greens scored a lacklustre result this recent election. But it begs the question: who should a first-time voter vote for? That's a question that can only be answered by the individual.
In my case, I'm just a few months shy of 18, but am fully capable of interpreting a party's intentions and values.
Someone asked me the other day who I'd vote for in an election if I were old enough. I can guarantee they expected to hear a mainstream party, as if someone my age would not have heard of anyone else.
My answer? The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party.
Confusion followed. My answer clearly brought shock to the room.
You see, I believe the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party is the only party standing for rural Australia; the party's strong stance on mandatory sentencing for the misuse of firearms, plan to future proof our waterways and rivers, proposed changes to the education system, and introduction of additional land rights for farmers all combine to create a cohesive reason to get my vote.
How did a minor party secure the attention of a 17-year-old from Bathurst?
The answer's quite simple: the Shooters were able to capitalise on the failings of the political rifts between the major parties, making the Shooters an ideal choice for first-time voters and young people like myself.
It's a technique the party has perfected and I'm sure other parties are taking note.
