Greens call for lower voting age (AAP / Sydney Morning Herald)
"The Australian Greens have used a Senate report on electoral matters to
advance their case for lowering the voting age to 16. An upper house
committee made up of Labor, Liberal and Greens senators released its
findings on two electoral bills on Thursday. One would require more
detailed authorisations to be printed on how-to-vote cards, a move
designed to reduce the potential for voters to be misled, and
non-compliance made a crime.
The other reduces the age at which people may
provisionally enrol to vote from 17 to 16, allowing the Australian
Electoral Commission to try to enrol more young people. The committee
simply recommended both bills be passed. But Australian Greens leader Bob
Brown used the report to promote not only lowering the provisional voting
age but the voting age itself to 16. "Young people pay taxes, live under
Australian laws and can leave home, have children, and join political
parties," he wrote. "At 16-and-a-half-years, young people can join the
defence forces. "The Greens believe that if our Australian society bestows
young people with all these responsibilities, it is reasonable to afford
(them) access to the opportunity to vote."
***
Senator Bob Brown "What I really think of Kevin Rudd" - video (National
Times)
Topics covered - balance of power, emissions targets, injecting rooms,
Greens leadership.
***
Greens accuse Libs of selling out mums (AAP / Brisbane Times)
"The Australian Greens have accused the opposition of selling out families
by not trying harder to secure a more generous paid parental leave scheme
for them."
***
Greens say Northern Energy Corporation’s announcement to shelve Colton
Coal Mine is not credible (WideBay Greens)
"The Greens Wide Bay candidate, Dr Jim McDonald, said today that he would
believe Northern Energy Corporation had shelved the Colton Coal Mine
project when there was evidence that the company had withdrawn its
application for a mining licence. He was commenting on a statement by NEC
Managing Director, Keith Barker, on the ABC that the 40% super tax would
make the mine non-viable. Dr McDonald said NEC were grandstanding and
attempting to hold the community to ransom."
***
Greens pleased, Libs say budget a 'let-down' (ABC news)
"The Tasmanian Greens Leader Nick McKim has taken credit for securing more
money for public housing, climate change and public transport. "Our
decision to take Cabinet positions has resulted in a significant greening
up of the state budget," he said. "You know, a massive investment into
rail, significant investment into Parks and Wildlife, a cost of living
strategy and a number of other Greens commitments."
***
Qld needs a police commissioner who understands Palm Is pain (QLD Greens)
The Queensland Greens have welcomed the release of the CMC report into
Cameron Doomadgee’s death on Palm Island in 2004 but have expressed
disappointment that there is still no resolution for the island community.
"It is not surprising to learn that police officers behaved partially when
investigating the death in custody on Palm Island," Greens spokesperson
Libby Connors said in response to the release of the report. "Mulrunji’s
death was just one expression of a police force which has struggled to
overcome a historic legacy of aggression towards the state’s Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander communities. "The Crime and Misconduct
Commission report indicates the problems of partiality go to the highest
level of the force. "It was irresponsible of the Bligh government to
re-appoint Commissioner Atkinson when this CMC report had still not been
released."
1 comment:
Dear Editor (Courier Mail and Australian)
We've seen terrible examples of what can happen to citizens of countries with no right to a political voice. As Australians, our right to political participation should not be taken for granted.
Whilst the Coalition vows to block legislation in the Senate to keep the electoral roll open for seven days after an election is called, thereby limiting the numbers of people who can vote, the Greens are encouraging first-time voters to enrol and are seeking to lower the voting age to 16 - the same age that many people pay tax, leave home, have children, join the defence forces. All Australians, but especially young Australians should be empowered, not discouraged, to become part of the political process, after all its their future that is at stake.
I commend the Greens on their action.
Yours sincerely
Queensland Resident
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