Right now, the future is f*&^ed.
We’re feeling hotter summers. Cooler winters. More frequent and severe floods and fires. We can’t afford our rent, let alone ever dream of owning our own house. We’re graduating with massive amounts of debt, with little prospects of secure work. This is all contributing to serious anxiety and stress, but good luck getting a mental health appointment when you need one.
Meanwhile, the Government is nowhere, or they’re making matters worse.
They’re subsidising new coal and gas projects, and their targets don’t align with the science to protect us from catastrophic climate change. They’re failing to give renters their rights, and keeping it easier for rich property investors to purchase their sixth home than anyone to get their first. They’d rather give $254B to billionaires and politicians with their stage three tax cuts than wipe student debt and put dental and mental health into Medicare.
We’re inheriting a planet, economy, and living conditions that are broken, and they’re being decided for us. Not with us.
It’s time to lower the voting age to 16.
Students are taking to the streets to demand action on climate change. Because we’re being left out of critical decisions that impact us the most. We don’t have any other choice.
Voting at 16 is possible. It’s just that Australia has fallen behind. Lowering the voting age has just been committed to in Aotearoa New Zealand, and already exists in Argentina, Austria, Bosnia, Brazil, Cuba, East Timor, Ecuador, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Israel, Malta, Nicaragua, Scotland and Wales.
The Greens have been leading the campaign to lower the voting age since 2018, and now we need your voice to pressure the Government to act.
We are able to drive cars, work, enlist in the ADF, and serve our communities, yet have no democratic say in the composition of our own government or in the economy we will enter into post-education. We deserve a seat at the table to participate in our democracy.
Sign the petition to make this critical change, to take power back and unf#*k our future.