21 June 2007

Support for Sue Bradford’s Civics Education and Voting Age Bill

YouthLaw Tino Rangatiratanga Taitamariki (‘YouthLaw”), a national community law centre providing a free legal service for children and young people, fully supports Sue Bradford MP’s Civics Education and Voting Age Bill, released today.

YouthLaw is very supportive of the most significant aspect of the Bill, the lowering of the voting age to 16. We note that the Royal Commission on the Electoral System believed that there was a strong case to be made for lowering the voting age to 16, but that such a change would require public and political support. We also support the Bill’s objective of making civic education a compulsory part of the education curriculum.

Lowering the voting age to 16 would reflect developments in law and policy over the past couple of decades as regards the rights of young people to make their own decisions about important matters that affect them. More importantly, it would go some way to providing more young people with a say in our political decision-making system, a system all under 18 year olds are currently excluded from.

We think this would have the positive effect of instilling in young people a greater sense of civic responsibility and awareness. It would also encourage politicians to make greater efforts to consult with young people and give meaningful consideration to their issues and perspectives.

ENDS

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