<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A government push to lower Australia's voting age to 16 is gaining momentum after a once-in-a-generation law </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/britain-will-lower-its-voting-age-to-16-in-bid-to-strengthen-democracy/d2ecb200-b2ae-4f0c-95e6-f8bd68cc1663" rel="" target="_blank" title="allowing older teenagers to vote was passed in Britain."><span>allowing older teenagers to vote was passed in Britain.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Politicians in Australia have thrown support behind allowing 16- and 17-year-olds have their say in local, state and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/federal-politics" rel="" target="_blank" title="federal elections"><span>federal elections</span></a><span> for years and a similar bill was tested in parliament in 2018 before it eventually failed to pass.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The electoral reform in the United Kingdom will now see anyone aged 16 and older able to vote starting from the next general election. Compulsory voting is not a feature of the UK electoral system.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>So what exactly would it mean if we let hundreds of thousands more teenagers in Australia flexing their democratic right to vote?</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/penalty-rates-australia-what-are-they-new-legislation-being-introduced-explained/74ca5093-f6ee-46a3-aacc-06155eac9372" rel="" target="_blank" title="Government pushes legislation to protect penalty rates for 2.6 million workers"><strong><span>Government pushes legislation to protect penalty rates for 2.6 million workers</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Politicians in support of the move are asking for an amendment to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Independent member for Kooyong Monique Ryan told </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/" rel="" target="_blank" title="9news.com.au"><span>9news.com.au</span></a><span> the historic legislation in the UK should be a "strong impetus" for change Down Under.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/voting-age-australia-should-voting-age-be-lowered-to-16/7a9361f4-3bf5-4f9a-a019-99795c16807a" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're similar countries with similar values and should look to other countries for how they keep their democratic process fair and inclusive," Ryan said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Enfranchisement should be extended to as many Australians as reasonable, including young people, to ensure that those impacted by government decision-making have a say in those decision."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/first-guardian-master-trust-superannuation-lost-asic-investigation-exclusive/7a944ee1-faa0-40c0-8972-011f056c9fee" target="_blank" title="Christian, JC and Johanna are missing a combined $319K in super. There's thousands more like them"><strong><span>Christian, JC and Johanna are missing a combined $319K in super. There's thousands more like them</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ryan will introduce a private members' bill to lower the voting age and said she will push the Labor government to pass a bill this term.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She has nominated to join the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters and plans to raise this issue, along with advocating alongside the group Make it 16.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Make it 16 is a youth-led campaign which is calling for the minimum voting age in every Australian election to be 16.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Labor was initially supportive of lowering the age in 2018 but it hit a snag when it couldn't be agreed if 16- and 17-year-olds should be forced to vote, Ryan said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I know that some members of the government support lowering the voting age – we saw that in the parliamentary inquiry that reported in 2018," Ryan said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Senior Labor politicians, including Bill Shorten, have been very supportive of the concept in the past.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I suspect they've not given the issue much thought in recent months."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John introduced a bill to lower the voting age in 2018 but his proposal was unsuccessful after the then-Morrison government blocked it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is a simple bill with very simple intentions," Steele-John said at the time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Sixteen- and 17-year-olds can work and pay tax, own and drive a car, sign a rental tenancy agreement, have sex, join a political party and join our defence forces, and in some cases be tried as an adult by our criminal justice system.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They have a right to be able to vote."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Do you have a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter April Glover at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:april.glover@nine.com.au" target="" title="april.glover@nine.com.au"><em><strong><span>april.glover@nine.com.au</span></strong></em></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/rba-surcharges-proposal-nsw-pub-owner-says-customers-will-pay-more/ede51b8d-a09c-436d-912b-776a012c8a99" target="_blank" title="Pub owner rips push to return $1.2 billion to Australian customers"><strong><span>Pub owner rips push to return $1.2 billion to Australian customers</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ryan agreed that teenagers in Australia are politically engaged and deserve to be consulted in how the country is governed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Early participation in the electoral process has been shown to improve political engagement. Young people can leave school, get a job, and pay taxes," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They should have a say in who represents them and their interests in government."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Youth Action and Policy Association (NSW) (Youth Action NSW) noted that those under 18 generate almost $51 million in direct income tax revenue annually.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The voting age in Australia has been successfully lowered before.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 1973, the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 through an amendment to the Electoral Act.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/visas-australia-south-korean-family-in-melbourne-facing-deportation-over-document-error-plea-to-immigration-minister/fbe7e793-9a9f-4a63-a16a-ed0accae724e" target="_blank" title="Melbourne family risk being deported to South Korea over 'misunderstanding'"><strong><span>Melbourne family risk being deported to South Korea over 'misunderstanding'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Recent wars at the time were a pivotal reason for the amendment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If 18- and 19-year-olds were asked to fight and give their lives for their country, it was proposed, why not let them vote?</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Those against the bill have previously argued that 16- and 17-year-olds are not politically mature enough to vote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jaysen Mitzie Cubilla, a private citizen, told the inquiry in 2018 that he believed people under 18 were not yet capable of making "wise choices".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A majority of students are highly uneducated in our political systems, and allowing them to vote would be an insult to our democracy," he told the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A key issue that has halted progress in Australia is compulsory voting.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ryan has vowed to introduce the bill now that the 48th parliament has commenced.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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