My wife and I failed to vote in the South West Coast District of Victoria by-election on 31 October 2015. The by-election was less than 12 months from the general state election held on 29 November 2014. Our failure to vote was beyond our control, but our reason was rejected as "not a valid and sufficient excuse". We have been fined $152 for this crime. 

The fine in 2014 was $20 per offence. About 200,000 people failed to vote in the 2014 state election and if they were all fined, the government would have received $4 million. Apparently that is not enough for Daniel Andrews and Labor so they have increased the fine by almost 300% to $76. That means next time they are up for raking in more than $15 million. That is just gouging.

I am not disputing our compulsory voting system - which is subject to debate and controversy (we have never missed voting in over 40 years). There are many good reasons why someone might miss voting now and again and copping a $20 fine would not be too much to worry about. But to increase the fine to $76 each is unfair. 

A list of what constituted "a valid and sufficient excuse" to vote is not available from the Victorian Electoral Commission. It is at the discretion of the Divisional Returning Officer for each electorate to determine what is a valid and sufficient reason for not voting.

Daniel Andrews. When you came to power in November 2014, there was no good reason to increase the fine to $76 for failing to vote. Please revert to the previous amount of $20 and refund those who have been forced to pay the extra $56 - Particularly, for a by-election forced upon us so soon after the general state election.