‘What are we voting for?’ too many young people are asking
It’s that time again – politicians all over our newsfeeds, big promises made left and right, brightly coloured signage throughout our electorates.
For some of my friends, their recent 18th birthdays mean they are now eligible to vote in their first federal election; for others like myself, our eligibility is lurking around the corner.
As a politically conscious person, I read the news, enjoy passionate political debates and have been following candidate policy outlines online.Credit:Joe Armao
As a politically conscious person, I read the news, enjoy passionate political debates and have been following candidate policy outlines online.
But as we come closer to the ballot box, I am starting to realise how political engagement among my peers is the exception – not the norm.
I know there is a frequent discussion around the disengagement of young people with politics. But as I look at Australia’s current political context, it’s no wonder that many young people I know are asking: “Apart from avoiding a fine, what are we even voting for?”
To these young people who are lucky enough to cast a vote on May 21, I would say that while we call it the “right to vote”, it is actually a privilege. Sharing our voices and having an influence over decisions that affect our lives and futures is something we must appreciate. Our votes should be made with thought and consideration, but to many of my peers, ongoing political disillusionment makes us think that our voices will not matter.
Freshly 18, we are being asked to run before we have learnt to walk. From our civics and citizenship curriculum, we know about the upper and lower house and how legislation is made. But what do we know about meaningful political participation?
The short answer to that is nothing – not necessarily because we are uninterested or disengaged, but because we have never been welcomed to join the debate. Politicians love to say that “young people are the leaders of tomorrow”. However, how can we become the leaders of tomorrow when the leaders of today aren’t welcoming us into this space?
When our politicians breeze by after a photo opportunity that looks good to their older constituents on TV and social media, they miss out on a valuable opportunity to tap into the powerful voices of young people, who have so much to say. The exclusion of young people from political discussion, in the belief that they are too immature or naive to contribute, is a failure of the system.
Why is it that out of all the people I know, only a handful are actively engaged in politics? Young people need to be listened to, if only for us to understand that our voices (and votes) matter.
Political disengagement is a cyclical problem. When our generation turns away in disgust, leaders who do not represent our interests and values are voted in without accountability. They go on to create policies or take actions that we fundamentally disagree with, causing our political disillusionment to deepen. By doing nothing, we are failing our democracy. Only through our votes can we champion leaders who truly represent us and our values. When we engage, change takes place.
As my friends approach their first federal election, with me enviously waiting for my turn, I ask that politicians, young people, and wider society take the time to engage – with each other and with our leaders.
So when we ask: “What are we even voting for?” , it’s this. We are voting for ourselves, our present and future, and voting for the Australia we want to be.
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