Preference deals in NSW for the election

The preference tickets for all parties have been lodged for the Australian Federal Election.

It's not always easy to tell who's on what side, for all those obscure micro-parties that nobody really knows. There's obviously been some arcane horsetrading between some of them, and in a few cases it's clear that one micro-party has been offended by another, and has put them last on the ticket for no better reason.

Of course, you don't have to vote for just the one party. Most people do, because it's easier. But then your preferences get distributed in ways you cannot possibly imagine. It's tedious to number every box from 1 to 79 - but that's democracy, and you have full control of your vote.

It's usually possible to identify each party as fundamentally conservative or progressive, depending on which major part comes before the other. Interestingly enough, many conservatives are more scared of the Greens than the ALP.

For what it's worth, here's the map:

Conservative:
Liberal/National
Citizen's Electoral Council
Family First
Pauline [Hanson]
LDP [Liberty and Democracy Party; with tricky preference directing]
Conservatives for Climate and Environment
DLP [Democratic Labor Party, making a Quixotic comeback]
The Fishing Party
Christian Democratic Party [Fred Nile's mob]
One Nation [now without Pauline Hanson]
Non-Custodial Parent's Party [they hate the Greens]
Shooters/Fishing&Lifestyle Party
Group V
Carers Alliance [via a thoroughly cryptic double ticket that ultimately focuses on getting the Liberals' number 3 up]

Progressive:
Climate Change Coalition
Socialist Alliance
The Greens
Group J
Hear Our Voice [with a Quixotic tick for Helen Coonan]
Group P [although they play it quite tricky]
Senator On-Line
Democrats
What Women Want
Labor
Socialist Equality Party [this bizarre party lodged THREE preference tickets, one of which flowed conservative!]

By my count that's 14-11 to the conservatives. And it illustrates some of the truly odd machinations that go on. Prize for sneakiest attempt to disguise allegiance goes to the Carers Alliance. Cutting-off-nose prize goes to Socialist Equality Party, which are directing a third of their preferences in the opposite direction.


You have been warned!