Today the Prime Minister announced the appointment of Kieran McAnulty as the new Minister of Local Government.
“We welcome Minister McAnulty to the role and call on him to follow the Review into the Future of Local Government’s recommendation to let 16 and 17 year-olds vote in local elections” says Make It 16 co-director Caeden Tipler (they/them).
“Without a vote young people have to put up with buses we take, roads we drive on, and parks we use with no say in how they are run. Councils make decisions on climate change that will affect us the most that we have no say in. That just isn’t good enough for so-called local democracy.
“Local elections suffer from dire turnout. In the last local elections less than 40% of eligible people voted. There is growing evidence overseas that letting people vote for the first time at 16 or 17 has all positive impacts on turnout.
“The Supreme Court was unanimous that the voting age for local elections is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights. The Review into the Future of Local Government recommended it. The Minister and Parliament must listen to the law and the experts and let us vote.
“With a Bill to lower the voting age set to be before Parliament very soon, the Minister must make it a priority that a voting age of 16 gets across the line for local elections. He must ensure there is a separate vote in the Bill for local elections and that it passes.”