RateCity’s Election Calculator Tells You Who To Vote For Based On Your Wallet

Chances are, you’ve already made your mind up on who to vote for this Federal Election. But if you’re still undecided, this calculator app from RateCity is worth a look — in just 60 seconds, it determines which major party should get your vote by comparing their policies to your financial circumstances. It’s voting for idiots who care.

Image: Supplied

RateCity’s Vote Calculator isn’t meant to provide complex answers on key election issues. Instead, it concentrates on the one factor we all care about most: our hip pockets. The app estimates which party you’ll be financially better off with via a few multiple-choice questions.

“The Vote Calculator is a unique way of visualising how each of the three main party’s policies could affect you,” explained RateCity’s money editor Sally Tindall.

“For example, if you have two young children in day care, you could be as much as $5000 ahead under a Labor Government as opposed to a Coalition Government, at least until 2018. Alternatively if you’re hoping to negatively gear an existing property in the future, then a Coalition government could potentially mean you’ll be able to write off more on tax.”

The questions mainly relate to tax, education, child care, superannuation and tobacco excise; in other words, the areas where the three major parties differ. It’s a pretty simplistic system, but if you have no idea where each party stands on the issues that affect your wallet, the Vote Calculator app can definitely help to steer you in the right direction.

“We’re not out to tell you how to vote,” Tindell added. “Rather we’re looking to contextualise the financial issues ahead of polling day, because ultimately what’s going to affect you day-to-day are policies with financial implications attached.”

Naturally, you should never rely on a single source of information when it comes to casting an electoral vote; no matter how time poor you are. A good place to start is Antony Green’s 2016 Candidates Guide on the ABC website. It has detailed information on electorates, parties and candidates.

To try the web app out yourself, click here. (Even if you already know who you’re voting for, it’s interesting to see whether the app’s calculations align with your decision.)

[Via RateCity]


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