TVNZ gets Australia’s electoral system and ballot paper wrong
August 21st, 2010 at 10:08 am by David FarrarMy God. One News had a segment yesterday in the 6 pm bulletin on the Australian election, and they decided to explain how the system worked. What a pity they got it so wrong. Simon Dallow, who fronted it, should send an angry-gram to whomever produced that item.
They correctly described the House of Representatives as having 150 seats, and you need 76 to form a Government.
But then Simon went on to say Australia uses the Single Transferable Vote, or STV, electoral system. No, they don’t – well not for the House of Representatives which the item was on.
They use the preferential voting (often called Alternative Vote) system.
Even worse Simon went on to say they get two votes, and showed a mock ballot paper.
That has no resemblance to an Australian ballot paper.
This sample ballot, taken from Wikipedia, shows that you rank the candidates in order. You do not tick them, there is no second column.
This is basic stuff. Someone at TVNZ should have checked the story.
Related posts:
- The new improved ballot paper
- Republic Referendum Bill selected in ballot
- Ballot paper order
- The secret ballot
August 21st, 2010 at 10:12 am
Making a formal complaint.
Feel free
[DPF: I actually considered it, but I figure/hope highlighting it on my blog will have a similar effect.]
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 10:18 am
About as much resemblance to a news program the 6pm “Simon and whoever was with him” show has.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 10:25 am
They would have done better if they had asked Alison Mau (as an Aussie) to prepare the item.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 10:29 am
Yes, Alison and Simon would look good together
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 10:44 am
But Dellow must be pig ignorant as well. I would have refused to front the story. Yes Alison Mau would not have made this mistake. The Aussies go on and on about preferences. But in this case where both parties are under 50% and Labour trailing well below 40% there has to be some pretty bold assumptions about the preference votes to get Labour over 50%. I wish they would explain that more – what are the assumptions about the preferences votes from the Greens.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 10:49 am
And how does this blunder set their behaviour apart from their normal daily operations?
Lazy, sloppy, targeting the lowest common denominator, inept fact checking and assumed authority. Its their MO.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 10:59 am
Watching TV makes you dumber.
Government department can’t explain how voting works. But they can educate your children and give you good health care.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 11:05 am
TV news (on all channels) are like candy-floss: light and aimed for children.
I do not waste my time watching the iname programs that pass for news. These days, even the newsreaders are mindless hacks.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 11:26 am
You watch television for anything other than mindless entertainment or sport, you deserve what you get.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 11:37 am
It will be interesting to see if they admit their error and provide a correct explanation tonight. I won’t be holding my breath.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 11:41 am
You have said that you favour STV for positions like mayor, DPF. In single-member electorates, STV and preferential voting are identical.
[DPF: The effect is the same, but the method of counting is different. There are no quotas with PV]
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Hahaha! That’s why I read my news on Kiwiblog. If its wrong there are determined people who will say so and get it right.
Good call David.
And she indoors wants a bigger TV! Well really.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 12:25 pm
“You have said that you favour STV for positions like mayor, DPF. In single-member electorates, STV and preferential voting are identical.”
Mmmmm the voting method is similar but PV (or AV) and STV are different and intended to do different things.
Best using PV or AV for single member elections and not STV. As DPF says they use PV (AV) for the Federal House of Reps (and in all Statehouses except Tasmania which uses STV) and STV for the Senate (and all State Upper Houses except Tas).
STV is classically about producing proportionality in a multimember constituency.
Logically one cannot proportionately allocate a single member constituency.
DPF is right – why complain hopefully TVNZ will do a “do over” tonight in its Aussie coverage.
They wont admit a mistake – journos never make them.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I bet they had hours of fun designing the way they were going to explain the terribly complex, complicated and confusing system to their viewers with an average age of 12, which is where they appear to think most of us are.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 12:31 pm
TV? Who watches TV?
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Simon Dallow shouldn’t be presenting news. He’s not a journalist and never was a journalist, like many (if not most) NZ TV news presenters. AFAIK he was sitting in reception waiting for Mau one day when one of NZ’s “brilliant” TV execs spotted him and hired him on looks alone.
A mid-career change is fine, but if you’re going into news you need to do a few years wearing out shoe leather collecting the stuff and getting the arse of your pants shiny writing it up and subbing it before you start presenting it.
Would someone whose ability ended at making toast be hired to host a cooking show (other than as a gimmick)? So why do we get a more important topic presented by people who have none of the skills required to make it?
If you’re going to present you need to have the basic skills on which the material you’re presenting is built. At the very least journalism, maybe some production as well, so you do more than sit in makeup all afternoon, you act as a final fact checker of what you’re about to present.
Otherwise you risk ending up looking like a twat. Deservedly so.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 1:01 pm
“Simon Dallow shouldn’t be presenting news. He’s not a journalist and never was a journalist”
Yeah but Dallow’s job isn’t journalism it’s PR. He projects safety, stability, friendliness, confidence and warmth so that all of us feel comfortable inviting him into our living rooms every night.
At least that’s what the la la off the planet fucked in the head complete fucking moron TV programmers seem to think that’s what his job is.
TV News just epitomises what is evident in all the brain-dead programming decisions they make every day.
It’s mental. It’s obvious the idiots have become trapped in the warp of self-fulfilling prophecy whereby a quality program with intellectual elements inevitably gets low ratings due to the trial time slot the mental fools allocate.
The dickheads haven’t yet got it through their thick skulls there is a latent market consisting of all the highest-earning people who crave for hard news presented without regard for dumbing down. It doesn’t show up on their surveys because the mental idiots never ask about it, that’s why it’s latent. Honestly.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Confirming my personal decision to stop watching New Zealand television news (and stop subscribing to the “dead trees” version of the newspaper as well).
So what will be the best web sites for following the Federal election results in Australia tonight?
I was going to start with the Australian Electoral Commission web site here: http://results.aec.gov.au/ They are going to be running a Virtual Tally Room again.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 1:38 pm
That sounds like a good bet John, time zone difference will make it a late result from here
The commercial coverage usually involves a panel of experts sitting around speculating about the obvious until a key numbers of returns are in. They seem to think it’s a competition to “call the result” first. As if that will change anything. Serious analysis takes a day or two to emerge.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 1:43 pm
I occasionally by a news paper to wrap dog shit in and as far as TV news sometimes to catch the weather on TV when desperate for vague info as to what might happen in Auckland in the next few hours when a sports fixture is imminent.
Vote:I prefer to seek my own news from an appropriate source on the interwebby.
August 21st, 2010 at 2:07 pm
TVNZ are totally unaccountable. Hence the over done expense claims. The arrogant high handed attitude.
Not forgetting the fact that have given the Cocknose Mayor over the Bridge an easy ride. Because he is just as inept as they are.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Another error from the media….bound to happen though, just detracts from the media’s image of itself as the infallible demi-gods of Information. Meanwhile……
Tony Abbott to win the Aussie Election !…..and thank God for that ! Another 3 years of Labour there would be genuinely dangerous.
Expect to see some genuine new policy from the Coalition, while debt is reduced. Labour is borrowing at 700 million a day and in the hands of both high finance and also the United Nations . Much like the Nats here.
Also, no-one should have to listen to Gillard’s concrete mixer voice on a regular basis.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 2:11 pm
I saw it last night and it strikes me they spent more time and effort coming up with the silly “aussie” names on the ballot paper……dingo etc,
TV news is a joke these days,has been for a long time,sad.
Karl du Fresne’s blog occassionally has good stuff on the sad state of our broadcasters.Worth a read.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Well you can guarantee this won’t be the lead item. I hear the top spot is saved for a story about the one legged lesbian dancing troupe that is planning to preform for the UN human rights council .
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 5:58 pm
” I hear the top spot is saved for a story about the one legged lesbian dancing troupe that is planning to preform for the UN human rights council .”
Yes but bob it’s compelling viewing, you see. It’s about (a) a deformity (b) a woman (c) a minority (d) an entertainer (e) international politics (f) touchy-feely human-rights stuff.
I don’t blame them at all in fact I applaud their wisdom and humanity for this special bounty of human achievement.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 6:11 pm
No correction on TVNZ’s 6pm bulletin (no surprise there.) However, viewers are told they can tune in at the same time tomorrow to find out how the election has gone. What a joke!
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 9:10 pm
How about some Green Screen tech. nothing new but is it another crocodile ?
Vote:http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/election2010/7948748/nines-election-2010-special-streaming-live
August 21st, 2010 at 10:21 pm
There is a quota with PV. You have to keep counting until someone gets over half. The quota with STV and 1-seat is also over half.
Vote:August 21st, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Posted this on Tuesday when I did my Postal Vote -
>>>>>>>>>
Just voting now in my first Australian election – by Postal Vote
Lower house is a bit of a no brainer. Im in one of the safest seats, and there are only 4 candidates (including Greens and FF)
Senate is interesting – there are 60 candidates which I need to order from 1 to 60. Sure I could just vote by the party of my choice, but for all I know my preferences end up going to a wacko (which is the majority of the 60 candidates).
Here’s the choices:
– Citizens Electoral Council (safely last) – the anti-semitic cult-like follows of Lyndon LeRouche
– The unnamed anarchists of Joseph Toscano – I’ve actually stuffed up and made them 38th
– The Socialist Equity Party / Democratic Labor Party / Socialist Alliance / Greens – all pretty much the same really
– Building Australia Party (Builders) / Shooters and Fishers / Carers alliance – Industry specialists
– Family First / Christian Democratic Party – naah, except they’ve done a preference deal with the next one
– Australian Sex Party – check out the website and their ad for “Jerk Choices”
– Secular Party of Australia – Richard Dawkins worshippers
– Climate Sceptics party
– Senator On-Line – an interesting party that want to take the Senate to the Internet. OK – they get 9th spot
– One Nation – without Pauline
– Odd assortment of Independents, others, most notably Stephen Mayne (journalist)
Paul Keating famously called the Australian Senate “unrepresentative swill over there”, maybe it’s a fair assessment?
Vote:August 24th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Simon “Shallow” Dallow exposed as yet another vacuous TVNZ bimbo…surprise, surprise!
Vote: