It seems electioneering is everywhere. Queensland, Moreton Bay, United States, Germany!

When you think about it, families are like governments, constantly in campaign-mode and often childish.

There are leaders, (parents or older siblings depending on the issue) trying to win a popularity contest and stay in power;

Voters, (kids) trying to work out what’s in it for them;

Skewed polling(children arguing that everyone else is allowed to);

Irritating, repetitive catch-cries (slogans such as ‘I CAN’t DO…it”);

Lies(” it wasn’t me”); back-flips( “no I will do my chore, don’t take my pocket-money”); name-calling(too many to highlight); and work that grinds to a halt around key dates.

Take my government, I mean family for instance.

Each of the girls are their own one-person self-governed state, trying to co-exist in a country (the family) that has differing layers of legislation and is ruled only by an inter-changeable prime-minister and a treasurer. (not unique to family governments)

The youngest daughter is like New South Wales where little else matters outside her borders.

The youngest step-child is akin to the state that is always competing with NSW for national supremacy. Pretty much, Victoria.

Next daughter up is in a constant state of turmoil and mess, with high peaks of heroism …..kind of like Queensland in a flood crisis.

Then there’s the daughter in a regular state of indignation, where despite any shortcomings internally, the state’s views are right and just and should be imposed on other states….say Canberra.

The eldest step child is an island state. ..A little bit separate from the rest of the states,…so Tasmania.

The rest of the country  is governed by a two-headed cabinet, one head for legislation, the other for finance. (But either head can govern depending on what the budget is, how time-consuming the policies and who’s had the most to drink)

There are at times civil wars…The northern or older states fighting either each other or the southern states. In turn they have their own protracted civil battle going on.

There’s apartheid …not by race but by bedrooms…for instance one state’s population is segregated and cannot enter the other state’s bedroom.

There’s always campaigning. Each state is trying to win the most votes to push their agenda..whether it be the choice of restaurant, what program to watch on television, or bed-time.

And of course there’s the swing-voters to contend with, and will side with whichever party is having the party.

Education promises are often broken; rates, electricity and water costs are always going up and almost every month each records a budget short-fall.

So it seems there’s very little difference between this seven state, family member country and regular government elections, except maybe…. there’s no electioneering reprieve in-between trips to the ballot box.

And of course, no one can be voted out!