The Sweet Sound of Democracy: When Zero Means Victory
The recent election results have brought a particularly satisfying outcome that’s worth celebrating over my afternoon batch brew. The far-right Trumpet of Patriots party has achieved what they’ve been promising all along - net zero. Though probably not quite in the way they intended.
It’s fascinating to watch how our democratic system naturally filters out the extreme elements. While we’ve seen concerning rises of far-right movements in various parts of the world, our preferential voting system and mandatory voting continue to act as powerful buffers against political extremism.
The numbers tell an interesting story - around 2% of voters gave their first preference to these far-right candidates. While that might seem concerning at first glance, it’s actually below what statisticians call the “lizardman constant” - the baseline of people who will give bizarre answers to any survey question. In other words, it’s statistically insignificant.
Working in tech, I’ve seen how systems need proper checks and balances to function effectively. Our electoral system works much the same way. The preferential voting system ensures that fringe candidates can’t sneak through on a small percentage of the vote, unlike some other democratic systems around the world.
The most amusing part of this whole saga has been watching millions of dollars essentially evaporate into nothing more than a collection of annoying YouTube ads and unwanted text messages. Someone in our office Slack channel pointed out that they could have achieved better results by simply sending everyone a coffee voucher - and they’re probably right.
However, there’s a serious undertone to all this. These movements, even when they fail electorally, can leave behind networks and organizational structures that continue to spread harmful ideologies. The digital footprints they create - through social media groups, messaging apps, and online communities - don’t disappear with their electoral defeat.
The challenge now isn’t just celebrating their failure at the ballot box, but actively working to build a society that’s resistant to extremist ideologies. This means addressing the real issues that make people vulnerable to these movements - economic inequality, social isolation, and the rapid pace of change that leaves some feeling left behind.
Looking out my window at the Melbourne skyline, I’m reminded that our city has always been a progressive beacon. We’ve shown time and again that inclusive policies and social cohesion win over division and fear-mongering. While we might joke about “net zero” results, the real victory is in maintaining our democratic values and rejecting those who would undermine them.
The election’s over, but our work continues. Whether it’s calling out misinformation in our social circles or supporting inclusive community initiatives, we all play a part in keeping our democracy healthy. And that’s something worth raising a coffee mug to.