Just when you thought we were safe from more Green madness – after the bid to set Canberra up as the narco capital of Australia (the decriminalisation of hard drugs legislation), and not allowing 13-year-olds to be charged with criminal offences no matter how bad the offence – we now have two Green government backbenchers introducing into the Assembly a bill to lower the voting age in ACT elections to 16.
Given that the bill to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 should be law by July 2022, we could have the following scenario unfold in time for our October 2024 election:
Imagine a callow youth called Jack. Jack in August 2022 (next year), in company with three 15-year-old mates commits a home invasion and stabs two innocent people in the process. Due to Shane Rattenbury’s recently passed law, Jack can’t be charged as he is not yet 14. Jack turns 14 one month later, in September 2022. His mates are charged with attempted murder and wounding with intent. Roll forward to October 2024 and young Jack is now aged 16 years and two months. He can vote! He’s only two years and two months older than when he stabbed two people and was too young to be charged (lacking the capacity to really know what he was doing) but now, in the words of one of the Green members who introduced the bill (CT 2 Dec 21), is suddenly able to be “trusted to take some time out to consider their values to compare candidates and number a few boxes once every four years”. I know a lot of adults who have trouble doing this, let alone 16-year-olds.
Eighteen is an age when most young people are either in Year 12, or have just left school and are starting out in life in a job, Uni or a CIT course. They can go to a pub and legally drink. They are adults. They can also go to jail with other adults if they commit serious crimes. They can sue someone in court if they are owed money. They can lease a property.
Sixteen-year-olds are largely still at school in Year 10. A very few might have dropped out of school or started an apprenticeship. At 18, most young people are physically young adults. At 16, their bodies and minds are still growing. If the voting age is changed, then a logical result would be to also allow 16-year-olds to go to adult prisons if they commit serious offences – they will be adults after all!
Let’s call this out for what it is. A cynical attempt to take advantage of 16-year-olds who have yet to develop the life experience and intellectual wherewithal to make well thought out political decisions and who have often been indoctrinated at school to vote Green. Scary stuff!
Mr Barr would be doing not only Canberrans but also his own party a disservice by pandering to the Greens on this one. He also won’t pick up many votes as several teachers have told me the kids will largely vote Green
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of Canberra Daily.
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