[Jan Fisher]

There’s been some suggestion to lowering the voting age to 16 in New Zealand.

While I can see some merit in the push, I remember back to when I was sixteen and my biggest problem was financing a new outfit for my next night out, scamming alcohol for the same and how to cram an essay I had been given a week to prepare into a 24-hour window.

Politics did enter my head, but only because I studied it, even back then I imagine if someone suggested to me that I should be given any sort of political influence through voting it would have made me laugh out loud.

While I personally don’t think 16-year-olds are informed enough to be voting, I also know plenty of adults who aren’t informed enough to be voting either.

Do you think the voting age should be dropped to 16?

[Rod63]

Yes, voting should be available from 16 years old. I think it can be optional until 18 years of age to cater for those like you were, who aren’t interested.
However, many, many young people of that age are very politically aware – moreso than many adults -and would relish the chance to vote.
Good on New Zealand. I hope we follow suit.

[Sen.Cit.90]

Yes Jan I agree with you. I feel that it is ridiculous to consider 16-year old’s wise enough to vote. We would end up with a bunch of ‘Rappers’ in government.

[Tood]

Absolutely ridiculous, they can wait until they are 18 and hopefully their brains might be a little further developed but even that is questionable. Adhern only wants this because she anticipates they will vote labour.

[David Ryder]

If a 16 YO is interested in voting then I think they should be able to do so. Make it optional for 16 and 17 year olds. Some of them are better politically informed than many adults who vote.

[Pacahawi]

Most 16 year olds these days can hardly read, write, spell, do basic maths or tell what sex they are, so they certainly do not have the wisdom or maturity to vote for people who will run our country!
At that age, their main thoughts will be about what they will get personally from the government/s, not with the best interest of the nation in mind.
Quite frankly, I would prefer the voting age be returned/raised back to 21 where it used to be!
Isaiah 3:12
Youths oppress my people, women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path.

[David Ryder]

That sounds like many adult voters to me.

[ronloby]

Yes, I think 16 or 17-year-old young people should be given the option of voting in State elections and 18 year old for Federal Elections. This would allow them to gain more knowledge of political goings-on and the ins and outs of the different political parties.

[KSS]

Just because a 16-year-old thinks they are adults, they are not! They have not matured physically or mentally, they simply do not have enough life experience (nor do most 18-year-olds either in my opinion) to be making decisions that affect anyone other than themselves. The periodic push in Australia is generally from the Greens and far left who are hell-bent on destroying family and society as we know it in favour of far-left Marxism (BTW even Marx admitted his theories could not work). These 16-year-olds are the same kids that skipped school to wave misspelled banners in the street over ‘climate change’ ideology they were indoctrinated with by teachers.

Yes, there are some 16 and 17-year-olds who are thoughtful but to give a child a vote over fiscal policy, immigration, education, health care, international relations, drug use, or anything else is just asking for trouble. They are emotionally unstable at that age, ruled by hormones, social media and ‘fitting-in’. Do you really want them to decide your and the country’s future? They cannot even obtain a HGV licence, a loan, a mortgage, sign contracts and lack a host of other life skills, and you want to give them a vote?

And where does it stop? In a couple of years will we lower the age to 14? Then 12? Why not bring back child labour?

[David Ryder]

Wow what a rant. You left out that 16 and 17 year olds can be in the work force and paying taxes.
On that ground alone they should be voting.

[Tood]

Totally agree with you KSS, at 16 most of them are self absorbed morons.

[BigBadOzDave]

No wuckin’ fay! Kids these days are politically indoctrinated by their left-wing, Labor-supporting, virtually-communist teachers, who are a result of the left wing taking over education in the sixties … I should know – I have a daughter & a grandson who are both teachers, and my grandson especially is so brain-washed that it’s almost impossible for me to speak politics to him in a civil manner.
He says that ‘rednecks’ (I admit, I have voted Country Party then LNP all my life, and I am an ex-serviceman whose politics are slightly to the right of Attilla the Hun) like me are a thing of the past.
He says my (and nearby) generations are slowly fading out and are being replaced by left wing, indoctrinated students who will eventually become the ruling class and left wing policies will prevail.
He denies that teachers are indoctrinated, yet he has had absolutely no family or societal (other than university) input into his political beliefs to turn him the way he is.
Kids at age 16 are the epitome of this indoctrination – just look at the shibboleth-parroting little climate activists whose main reason for protesting is to get a day or an afternoon off school … there are some that are slowly waking up to real life at 18, but very few. It is not until they’re (at least) in or near their 30’s that they have a somewhat balanced approach to government and can make balanced decision politically.
To give testosterone-driven 16 year olds the vote is not only suicidal for a nation, but just plain stupid … only something like idiot PMs such as Madame Adern could think up!

[Rod63]

It is so sad reading people here being so denigrating of our young people.

[OzJames70]

If they get to vote, do they get to join the military, go to war, sign binding contracts, attend adult court… Will they be expected to take responsibility for their actions?

Seems like some WOKE ideology gone mad.

[Author]

Posts