By Chris Jolliffe

Well the Federal Election coming – and as compulsory voters it is worth asking ‘How to Vote?’

Whilst your vote is your vote (and we are happily a church united in Christ – rather than political preference), what follows is an attempt to give you information which will help you cast your vote.

Two links to helpful sites.

Other sites are also easily found on the net, so these suggestions aren’t comprehensive.

First (here) is a survey of results from each of the individual candidate from the House of Representatives (including yours), on a range of issues that Christians should find relevant. This survey was helpfully carried out by Family Voice Australia.

So, for example, I can click on my electorate (Sturt), and see what Christopher Pyne’s views on Gambling, or Marriage, or the Safe Schools program are. Scrolling down, you can click on individual questions to see exactly how the question was phrased.

It’s brilliant to get detailed information from individual candidates on how they say they would vote on different issues. I only wish that there had been more room to canvass their views on other issues (such as asylum seekers). That issue is addressed in the second link…

Second (here) is to a site compiled by the Bible Society.

Again, you can scroll down, see an issue (Refugees, Foreign Aid, Climate Change etc), and click on it to see a Christian commentary on each issue, and the stated policy positions of each party on each issue.

Both of these sites are helpful, and worth setting aside 10-15 minutes to explore.

Above all this, please PRAY.

The book of Daniel reminds us that our God is sovereign over our leaders, and also of the key role that individuals of faith have in shaping our society, if we conduct ourselves with faith in God, and integrity in our life and decisions.

Lord, may your will be done!