VOTING RULES HAVE CHANGED?

Make your vote count this federal election.

At this year's federalelection, the way you vote for the Senate has changed and it'simportant that you understandhow to vote correctly.

On thelarge white Senate ballot paper, you can choose to vote either above orbelow the line.

If you choose to vote abovethe line, you now need to numberat least 6 boxes. Put the number '1' in the box for the party orgroup that is your first choice, a '2' for your second choice and so on until you've numbered at least 6 boxes.

Ifyou choose to vote below the line, you must number at least 12 boxes, from 1 to 12, for individual candidatesin the order ofyour choice.

Voting for the House ofRepresentativeshas not changed. On the green ballot paper, you must number every box, starting with the number '1' for yourfirst choice, 12' for your second choice and so on until youhave numbered every box.

'How to vote' instructions will be clearlydisplayed on your ballot paper. Don't worry if you make a mistake-just ask for another ballot paper.

This federal election your vote will help shape Australia.

/SKCON celebrates the Chariot Festival

BYTASNEEM ZAVERY

The ratb(chariot) was bedecked with flowers, paper lanterns and garlands of fruit.

Andof course,iniages of Lord Krishna.

Afour-wheel wooden d1arior,nearlytwo storeysinheight, itmade its wayslowly throughthestreersof BrisbaneCBD ona SamrdaymorninginearlyMay.

Builtto resemble a remple,with a colomfulred and yellow pillar made of clod, toppedbyagoldencoloureddome, it carrieddie idolsof LordKrishnaandSri Prabhupada,founder of the International Societyof KrishnaConsciousness

Ir was hand-pulled byoverthree lnmdred ISKCO devotees, who useddiickstrong ropeswidimuchfan.fare.The catchynmes of HareRamaandHareK..tishna,Krishna KrishnaHareHrirefilled theair.

Widipoliceescorr androads indie Brisbane CBDcordoned off, this was d1e grand celebratoryoccasion of 'The Festival of Chariots'.

"TheFestivalof Chariots originatedin Puri,Orissa over2000 years ago andis nowcelebratedineverymajor cityacross the world,"Nici Sheth,one of the festival coordinators,coldIndi,111Link.

It wasmarked originallyat theJagaonandi Temple inPuri(from wherethe term 'juggernaut' comes) whenthe deities,to this day,are putin amassivechariot and taken for anannual tourof d1ecity.

"Thisis one of the fewtimes that we come ourro me streets toreallysharedie love.It'sallabourgiving.Ourtagline for diis yearis '.Joyof devotion".

Where didthecharior come from?

"Ithas travelledall thewayfrom ISKCON'sfarmingcommunityin MurwillumbahfromnorthernNSW," Nici revealed. "We bringit uponceayearfor thefestival.Italsotravelsfurthersouthto Melbourne."

ForRad11a Dasi, thepullingof the chariot holdsa specialsignificance."We arerememberingtheLord of theUniverse today," she said. "W/e a.repullingdiis Cha.riot, so thatLordJaganath (Krishna) cancome andlive in our hearts andcan remain in our hearts forever."

Windingthroughthestreetsof theCBD foroveran hour, onlookers were in awe, tryingto geta selfie ortwo.TheCha.riot wasfinallybrought to KingGeorgeSquare, where a number of festivities were lined up for the day.

There was free foodfrom d1e 'Foodfor Life'tent,interactive gamesforchildren, sralls sellingsweets andtreats, he1rna and a cardreadingstall thatimpartedVedic wisdom.

A free-for-allevent,diehenna stall seemed ro bequite popular with die Austrnlia.11s. ehaAttal,henna artist, told IndianLink, "Hennacomesfrom the leaves of a plane,La111so11ia.Enermis.The scientific reasonbehindapplying itis, itreducesbody heat. Itiscatchinguprealquick inAustralia and people thoroughly enjoyapplyinghenna on theirpalms or a tattoo."

]ndirmLinkalso poppedinto thecard readingtentto get aninsightintoa bit of Vedic wisdom.ThecardreadbyRanganath Dassaid,'Knowthatallbeautiful,glorious and mightycreations,springfrom, bur is a spark of,mysplendour.' lt forms the basis of one of mesongs Lord·Krishna sang toArjuna on the bloodybattlefieldsof Kurukshetra, areligious war chatwasfought tosafeguardme principles of religion.

Crowds throngedKingGeorgeSquareto revel in d,e festivities. Smiles, greetings,and enjoying oneself were me order of the day!