You would think in a democratic society, more fuss would be made when basic democratic rights are violated. Amazing then that relatively little has been made of the Australian government's decision to close voting registration on Wednesday the 17th of October.

What should seem a frightening step towards authoritarianism is barely being noticed by those who control the agenda - mainly the mass media. However, this is nothing new. The anti-terror laws have hardly been mentioned since their conception. Despite the construction of detention centres that violate the basic human rights that all people are entitled to, we instead discussed the implications of John Howard's latest pork-barrel project. Delivering tax-cuts to the middle and upper classes. Who cares about human rights!

Just as then is now. Instead of talking about the closing of voting registration and the denial of basic democratic rights (see the Australian Electoral Commissions own website proudly advertising this wanton destruction of democratic rights) we talk about equine flu and the effects it is having on the horse racing industry ( see The Australian or the Courier-Mail or any other paper in Australia)... After all, we are talking about money here!

But as with AWA's, no one seems to be kicking up a major stink. Both the industrial reforms and this attack on democracy should be enough to throw any politician out of office, let alone what else has been done.

It's time to vote people. Do what is right by yourself and what is right by all people. Don't be suckered in by another tax break. Take back our democracy!