Optional voting for 16 to 18 year olds? Let’s enlarge the franchise – and democracy – say the Democrats.
Leaks from the second electoral reform green paper due out later this year suggested lowering the legal voting age to include 16 and 17-year-olds.
The proposal that 16 and 17-year-olds be allowed voluntary enrolment needs to be looked at closely and not just dismissed as pie in the sky policy from youth organisations and political young wings from around the country.
So, what’s wrong with lowering the voting age?
Some believe teenagers just don’t care enough about the Australian political system to deserve a vote or use it properly. Backward thinking like this discourages young Australians from becoming politically aware and active.
If, say, 20 per cent of those given the opportunity to vote do so, then doesn’t that increase the number of concerned individuals with a keen interest in the running of the country?
How can teenagers become more politically involved and informed while they are excluded ? It is far too easy to tag the young as apathetic and ill-informed when a disturbingly large number of adult Australians volunteer donkey or informal votes when their opinion is sought. I believe there are many young Australians who know much more about and are more engaged with politics then most adult Australians.
Right away we can see which political groups are pursuing this topic and which are determined to dismiss it.
Fringe parties like The Greens leapt at the opportunity as any lowering of the voting age would increase their relative vote. The ALP has also made positive remarks on the proposal as a large percentage of the youth vote goes to them.
However, the quick rebuttal from Malcolm Turnbull showed just how unhappy the conservatives are about enfranchising the nation’s youth. John Howard restricted new enrolments following the calling of an election, and we now see the same calculation again. The Coalition knows their policies do not reflect the high ideals of our youth and seek to control this factor by excluding them.
A primary reason to implement this proposal is to extend the very basic rights to younger Australians that adults take for granted.
There are very few 16 and 17-year-old teenagers out there without a part-time or casual job. And they pay tax. How fair is it to insist someone pay taxes but not allow them a voice on how those tax dollars are spent. It need not matter if the tax collected is $10 or $100,000. All tax payers are equal.
The Young Australian Democrats actively support the proposal to reduce the legal voluntary voting age to 16 years of age as does the Australian Democrats, as outlined in their Youth Policy.
I wanted to vote at 16, but the argument against it and of which I have been witness to with 20 somethings who are yung and educated but not so young as 16 year olds; is the “children” will vote the way their parents/providers do. To quote a 20 something friend of my girlfriend during the time of the Hansen election “I voted liberal because my parents look after me, and I respect them, and they vote liberal”. that is not disinterested thoughtful democracy!