A Youth MP has highlighted double standards at Parliament regarding how young people are able to engage in the country’s democratic process.
The call came at this week’s Youth Parliament, a triennial event that gives rangatahi from across Aotearoa the opportunity to simulate the work of 120 MPs in Parliament, the Clerk of the House and the Press Gallery. Each Youth MP is assigned a spot by a corresponding MP in the Parliament for an event that enables diverse voices of rangatahi to be shared and acknowledged in the heart of Aotearoa’s democracy.
Make it 16 campaign members standing outside of the Supreme Court in Auckland after pleading their case. Photo: Make it 16
Youth MP for the Green Party’s Golriz Ghahraman, Cate Tipler, said that Youth Parliament proved that rangatahi aged 16 and 17 years old have the understanding, knowledge and ability to make conscious political decisions and therefore should be given the right to vote.
They say it is inconsistent for the Government to have a Youth Parliament open to 16 and 17-year-olds but also deny them the right to vote.
“Our parliament has told us they recognise we care about our communities. They’ve told us we can give speeches on the importance of voting. They’ve told us we’re more than capable of discussing and debating complex issues, and our MPs have told us we should support their party policy,” they said.
However, Tipler said that while Youth Parliament was democracy in action, this was overcome by the reality that a majority of Youth MP’s were unable to vote.
“The only thing not ‘real’ about Youth Parliament is that many of us will not have the right to vote in this year's local election, or even next year's general election. We’re part of thousands of young people who are told we are not smart enough or informed enough to vote.”
Tipler is also the co-director of Make it 16, a youth-led campaign of predominantly 16 and 17-year-olds advocating for Aotearoa’s voting age of 18 to be lowered by two years. Make it 16 was founded by a bipartisan group of Youth MPs during the 2019 Youth Parliament and has utilised social media to strengthen its following and support in the years since.
Youth MP for Golriz Ghahraman, Cate Tipler criticising the government on the voting age while advocating for youth voice to make an effective impact on Aotearoa. Photo: Andre Fa'aoso
Gaining traction
It’s no surprise the campaign gained traction this week, because issues that most affect rangatahi were at the centre of debates and discussions between Youth MPs, ministers and the Youth Parliament 2022 cohort.
The campaign could be bolstered by the Supreme Court which the Make it 16 legal team has asked to make a Declaration of Inconsistency - that the current voting age of 18 is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights.
“Youth Parliament is proof that the decisions being made by politicians today will impact young people the most,” Tipler said while speaking in the Youth Parliament’s general debate.
Concerns in the minds of rangatahi across Aotearoa inherently give them a political stance, she added.
“If you care about your community then you are political. If you care about mental health, women’s rights, housing, or even the water you drink, then you are political, and deserve a voice in Parliament just as much as anyone older than you.”
The belief in the youth voice within Youth Parliament is strong.
Tipler noted that “thousands of us marched in the school strikes. Thousands of us signed the petition to ban conversion therapy. In South Auckland young people organised a protest against inter-school violence, many young people signed a petition calling for consent law reform, and although there are 120 Youth MPs standing here today, there are hundreds more young people who applied. So if there are people who think rangatahi are not politically engaged, then they are not paying attention”.
Support grows
Youth MPs at the 2022 Youth Parliament representing all parties present in Parliament came out in support of lowering the voting age to 16. An open letter has been submitted to the Youth Parliament and has been signed by more than 60 Youth MPs.
“We have an open letter signed by over half of our Youth MPs who stand with Make it 16. Youth MPs across political parties have expressed their public support for a voting age of 16,” Tipler said.
“I may be one person asking Parliament to lower the voting age, but we are backed by thousands. We want the vote, we need the vote, and we will get the vote” says Cate.
Youth Parliament began in 1994, and it was a big success at the time resulting in the then-Minister of Youth Affairs being asked by the Cabinet to hold a Youth Parliament every Parliamentary term.
The 2022 Youth Parliament is the 10th such event held since its inception in 1994. There are politicians and journalists in Aotearoa who have been through Youth Parliament, and for participants it can be considered a stepping stone in their political and advocacy careers.
Society invariably expects much of, and also creates great pressures on, young people. All they ask is for the chance to vote once they turn 16.
*Andre Fa'aoso is a member of the Youth Press Gallery which takes the role of independent media reporting on Youth MPs and Youth Parliament 2022. This article can be republished freely on your platform subject to the following conditions:
- It must be republished as is (this can include visuals credited to VNP or NZ Parliament)
- It must include the following attribution to RNZ as the copyright owner: This story was originally published on RNZ and is republished with permission.
