The Wire

To some Australians, it’s the best way to spoil a Saturday, but when called, most of us do our civic duty, even if it is just to avoid that $50 fine. Yes I’m talking about voting. But Western Australian prisoners look set to lose their right to vote and some believe the move is a sign of our crumbling democracy. In a bid to match similar legislation passed at a Federal level earlier this year, the State WA government is poised to amend their electoral laws – to prevent all prisoners from voting. So should our incarcerated citizens have the right to vote like everyone else, or do they need to be taught a lesson about the value of democracy?