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National

Crown presents no evidence against lowering the voting age

A youth-led advocacy group called “Make it 16” believes that allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote will create a fairer and stronger democracy for Aotearoa.

“Make It 16” has taken its case to the Supreme Court, claiming that preventing 16 and 17-year-olds from voting violates the Bill of Rights and constitutes unjustified racial discrimination.

Rangatahi aged 16 and 17 are fed up with being ignored and denied a voice.

Seventeen-year-old Nataniah Tiarua of Tangaroa College says, “I know we are viewed as the young ones, We don’t usually get asked what we feel.”

“As Polynesian young rangatahi we need to vote,” says 17-year-old Valentine Muaava from Pacific Advance Secondary School.

Sixteen-year-old Tylae Bates-Wallace from Edgewater College says, “I think if it was brought down to our age group, then there would be more classes or opportunities for us to learn about politicians and what they do in our community.”

The “Make It 16” campaign says that at 16 you can drive, work fulltime, pay taxes, and enlist in the army.

Why no vote?

16-year-old Sarbjot Robert Sing from Tangaroa College said, “I find it funny too that 16 is the age of consent so that’s just kind of another big thing so, if we can do that, then we can drive, why shouldn’t we have a say in what happens in our country.”

“We are the next generation to lead. I see so many problems we are currently facing and might still face in the next few years and I want to be able to address them so that in the next few years they will actually be taken care of and addressed by the government,” says Tiarua.

Cate Tipler, a Year 12 student at Selwyn College in Tāmaki Makaurau, is 16 years old and the co-director of the campaign “Make It 16” campaign established in 2019.

She has argued before the Supreme Court that denying her the right to vote is a breach of the Bill of Rights.

“The Bill of Rights protects anyone age 16 or over, and there is a lot 16-year-olds can do. You know, we can work part-time, full time.

"I have a part-time job that I’m paying tax on, so not to have representation in Parliament is then taxation without representation,” says Tipler.

Te Kōti Mana Nui o Aotearoa, New Zealand's Supreme Court, heard “Make It 16s” claims this week, and Tipler is optimistic, awaiting a decision toward the end of this year.

“One really noticeable thing about today’s court hearings is that the Crown admitted it brought no evidence that 16 and 17-year-olds shouldn’t be able to vote.

So any arguments made in the Supreme Court today was super technical, but what should really be highlighted is that the Crown cannot justify a voting age of 18.”

Tipler says that if Parliament were to see the court hearings and evidence presented, they too would realise that lowering the voting age was the right thing to do.

To support the campaign head to the "Make It 16" petition online here.