Ms Ryan said that she planned to introduce another private member’s bill during the upcoming term of federal parliament, after an initial bill in 2018 failed to pass.
Let’s push for a voting age cap.
Independent MP to push for lowering of Australian voting age
Submitted 17 hours ago by maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone to australianpolitics@aussie.zone
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-18/push-for-australia-to-lower-voting-age-to-16/105545700
Comments
Aussieiuszko@aussie.zone 16 hours ago
nonentity@sh.itjust.works 5 hours ago
Eligible to vote at 16.
Mandatory at 18.Votes are then weighted based on age:
Your vote is worth 100% until 20, then decreases 5% at every birthday ending in 0.
The older you get, the less you’re exposed to policy decisions made at the time.
There should also be strict term limits for, and mandatory exclusion and retirement from, elected positions. You can still hold advisory roles, but you shouldn’t be making decisions that affect a population when you’re in the upper 20% band of life expectancy.
dellish@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
I agree with weighted voting, but not based on age. I really think your vote should come with a questionnaire that covers current issues and policies. If your answers show you have no clue what’s going on, your vote means less.
hitmyspot@aussie.zone 14 hours ago
I disagree. Many older people are more conservative. However, they have a right to their views. We shouldn’t disenfranchise anyone.
Zagorath@aussie.zone 12 hours ago
The argument isn’t that they shouldn’t vote because they’re conservative. It’s that they shouldn’t vote because they literally won’t experience the long term consequences of their decisions.
My personal preference is to allow 16 year olds to vote without creating a maximum voting age, but if in some weird world the only way to allow 16 year olds to vote was to ban those over 80 from voting, I would support that in a heartbeat.
princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 hours ago
Teenagers are quite literally disenfranchised.
MisterFrog@aussie.zone 13 hours ago
Daily reminder for what this independent stands for. She is a big L Liberal who just happens to believe in climate change and that queer people exist.
theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/…/monique_ryan
To me, this is more culture war bullshit that right-wingers love to distract us with.
The voting age is perfectly fine where it is and is in line with practically all other age restrictions.
princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 hours ago
I don’t think suggesting younger teenagers be allowed to vote is “culture war bullshit”. It certainly wouldn’t do her any favours considering that young people tend to overwhelmingly vote for left parties.
MisterFrog@aussie.zone 6 hours ago
This is fair, my language is perhaps a little strong. Still a distraction in my opinion.
Teenagers are in school, and many are very knowledgeable and engaged.
But I don’t really think there is much need to change the voting age
No1@aussie.zone 5 hours ago
I was gonna say that it felt fair that if you’re working, and getting taxed, that you should have a voice.
Then I did a search for Australia minimum working ahe and woooof. What a shitshow that is in all the states & territories…