Sixteen-year-olds can learn to drive, get a job, pay taxes and be on the Organ Donor Register, but they are considered too young to vote. Should they also have a stake in deciding their future?
We do trust 16 year olds to begin learning to drive though.
I would be completely open to the idea that at 16 you have the right and option to vote, but voting is not compulsory until you turn 18.
That way 16 year olds who aren’t interested or ready or comfortable placing a vote don’t have to, but those that are already politically active, interested and informed about voting can do so.
Across the whole there really isn’t that much developmental difference between 16 and 18, there’s a pretty big cross over between the more “responsible” 16 year olds and the “irresponsible” 18 year olds. I know that’s not really an argument, but the fact is that many 16 year olds are just as informed, and just as responsible as the rest of the voting public.
Many 16 year olds work and pay taxes, they study in an education system managed by the department, they can begin joining the army, they might be looking at university and signing on for HECS debt before they turn 18 depending on their birth month. These are systems built on policies by parties that these young people had no say in, and it directly effects them.
And yet if we asked should 16 year olds be allowed to consent to sexual activity we would get a resounding no. We feel that they are not capable of handling sex but can make policy?
I’m sorry, I feel for young people and I do my best to vote for my daughter, but having literal children ain’t going to fix shit IMO. Probably just have kids voting down parental voting lines anyways. Like family members won’t pressure them.
So I was unaware, and I guess that’s their choice to make. I’m not sure I’m okay with saying it’s okay for an adult to have sex with a 16 year old but that’s their choice I guess.
We do trust 16 year olds to begin learning to drive though.
I would be completely open to the idea that at 16 you have the right and option to vote, but voting is not compulsory until you turn 18.
That way 16 year olds who aren’t interested or ready or comfortable placing a vote don’t have to, but those that are already politically active, interested and informed about voting can do so.
Across the whole there really isn’t that much developmental difference between 16 and 18, there’s a pretty big cross over between the more “responsible” 16 year olds and the “irresponsible” 18 year olds. I know that’s not really an argument, but the fact is that many 16 year olds are just as informed, and just as responsible as the rest of the voting public.
Many 16 year olds work and pay taxes, they study in an education system managed by the department, they can begin joining the army, they might be looking at university and signing on for HECS debt before they turn 18 depending on their birth month. These are systems built on policies by parties that these young people had no say in, and it directly effects them.
And yet if we asked should 16 year olds be allowed to consent to sexual activity we would get a resounding no. We feel that they are not capable of handling sex but can make policy?
I’m sorry, I feel for young people and I do my best to vote for my daughter, but having literal children ain’t going to fix shit IMO. Probably just have kids voting down parental voting lines anyways. Like family members won’t pressure them.
Again I emphasize but this isn’t the way.
??? I thought age of consent in Australia was 16?
…just checked depends on the state but uh… Yeah we do let some 16yo decide if they want to have sex. 🤷🏻♀️
So I was unaware, and I guess that’s their choice to make. I’m not sure I’m okay with saying it’s okay for an adult to have sex with a 16 year old but that’s their choice I guess.