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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-05-27 Daily Xml
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ELECTORAL (VOTING AGE) AMENDMENT BILL

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (11:15): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Electoral Act 1985; and to make related amendments to the Juries Act 1927 and the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (11:15): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

This is a reintroduction of a bill I put forward last session, which would enable 16 and 17 year olds, if they wish, purely on a voluntary basis, to vote in state and council elections. Members may have noticed that, in the recent UK election, it was put forward as part of the platform to allow people of that age group to vote, and it should happen here.

As I have said before, we have led the world in terms of voting reforms relating to women, in part, but also in other aspects—the secret ballot, and so on. A good example is Jessica Watson, who sailed solo around part of the world—which is a great achievement—but, ironically, she was not considered capable of voting in a state or council election, or a federal election, for that matter, because she was 16. She just turned 17 last weekend. She is not regarded as capable or mature enough to exercise a vote. That is an absolute nonsense. People who want to vote—and, as I said, it would be optional—should be able to cast a vote.

The major parties allow people of that age to join now, so are they really saying that people of that age are not capable of making a considered judgment about joining a political party? If they can make a considered judgment about joining a political party, they can certainly cast a vote.

Without going into great detail, at the moment, we allow people over the age of 18 to vote, many of whom do not know what they are voting for, yet we deny a vote to young people who are quite capable and who want to vote. It is bizarre. We allow people who are on the verge of senility to vote, but we do not allow young people with an active mind, who take in all the issues relating to politics, to have a say.

Let's get fair dinkum about young people. Let's stop all the claptrap about how we value them. We will only value them when we give them some say and, currently, they do not have a real say in the running of their councils or in the running of the state. So, I urge members to support this bill.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr Sibbons.

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