I keep up to date for local/state/national elections. In Australia we have a lot of minor parties, which is very good, mind you. Preferential voting is wonderful. Choosing which parties to give power to takes slightly longer when you are not just checking Blue vs Red.
Apart from that, I did some donation drive stuff to support a minor party. Not much difference made I feel. Sure if a lot of people did it, a lot of change could occur but good luck with that. I occasionally join protected protests. But really I'm too shaky to join to the unsanctioned ones. Which are where change and messaging really happens.
Thankfully we already have alright socialized medicine (slowly fading, RIP bulk-billing), some union activity in some industries and what was a decent minimum wage. Of course, when home costs explode, it doesn't help as much as you would think. Albanese (Labor) may well get voted out for perceived lack of action on cost of living. Despite a relatively good softish landing after the pretty egregious handling of COVID by the Liberal (right wing) and inflation-causing money printing/cash to mates that largely went to businesses. People have short memories. That said, there really should be a clearer cost of living plan on the table right now. Yes economically gov action is risky at times like these. Spending more to subsidise rent/homes/food can in fact just result in extra costs. We can't magic lumber in to our borders, nor free up skilled trades from overseas (where people are also paying top dollar for limited supplies). We are still reeling from the flow on from COVID shortages. But Labor still needs clearer promises, like more apartments for people to live in eventually, action on increasing homelessness etc. The increased opening of borders for overseas workers has largely not gone over well publicly, unsurprisingly. Perfectly valid, as well as...less kind statements have been made on the issue.
These issues are far from unique of course, Canada (especially), and USA are very similar. A lot of the EU/UK also deal with shortages from conflicts involving Russia. Overall Australia has been very lucky, we did just come out of a big global lockdown afterall. You don't come of that for free.
The culture war stuff is still pretty wild at times, but most Aussies are relatively unengaged overall. But we do usually turn up to vote cause its on a weekend, so that's something.
Recently we had a vote on whether to change our constitution to enable the government to make "voice", (independent but powerless advisory group) to represent Aboriginal Australian interests. Labor could have made the body without a vote, but then it would be able to be closed by the next party when they get voted in. This vote was to make it permanentish, and for constitution to make that possible (which for many was can of worms, its not a small deal to amend a constitution, but its also kind of the point, that's why we have amendments). Notably Aboriginal Australians never really got a treaty or anything like that, so some feel like its been unfinished business.
I am Aboriginal myself. I never expected this to pass. Most Australian see Aboriginal issues are mostly ancient history, despite the last recorded kidnappings being in the 70s. I watched my dad get cursed out at job interviews, my grandfather was taken from his family, I've watched infrastructure in our communities crumble as support dries up. I've seen uncles and aunties moved hours from their homes because what used to be less valuable land has suddenly become prime realestate as cities sprawl and gov sells off public land and housing. Just the idea we've had all the same advantages as other for a century is blatantly false. Just needed to vent. But... from a purely personal level, I don't really expect unrelated people to care too much. Sometimes stuff just sucks. And generally I see way less overt and even subtle racism in the workplace/in public than in the past.
There are very few of us left, the breed out/ white Australia program was effective, Aboriginal Australians don't self-replace (not a moral issue, people can and should fall in love with whoever they choose regardless of ethnic/racial considerations). The cultures have been fading away. There is some out there, some in the outback, strong social groups, art events. But a lot of what's left is being lost. There really aren't enough people left to fight for our interests, our voice really has been eroded. (We absolutely still have general voting and all the other rights being a citizen has of course, but as a voting-bloc, the influence just isn't there).
I mostly grew up bouncing between Aboriginal and white communities, I do have attachment from my dad, but I feel mixed attachment to Aboriginal communities as a whole. Never really felt fully accepted by some people, but there were certainly groups with big tent policies that were happy to involve me.
When it came to this vote, I didn't have the heart to canvas or be too involved. The writing was on the wall way before from the start. The sea-lioning ("Labor hasn't explained what this body is/what we are voting for, I don't understand") thing was very transparent. There were many official and incredibly clear adverts, dot points, websites. Its not complex. Seriously wish people were just honest about just not wanting a race based advisory body, I get that, fear about some one else voice in your government's ear is a little ruffling. I could have went without hearing a lot of outright racism too, not that all complaints were based in racism, but enough were, even in traditional leftwing spaces. The dismissal of "every thing is racist to you lot" was pretty galling when you see people call us...unrepeatable statements, in that same location. Again though, I don't think people were racist for voting against the voice.
Realistically if successful, the voice would have been a wedge against Labor, when Aboriginal groups say "please don't mine on this land and smash our heritage site", the right won't care, but the left will be split. Not to mention getting the disparate groups to agree on anything would be very difficult. There are some pretty nasty corruption issues in some Aboriginal councils, and many don't trust the government on principal so I just can't see it go well anyway. It was never wise for Labor to focus so heavily on this single issue. Sure they were walking and chewing gum at the same time. But the optics were easy to portray poorly.
