Monday, 25th June 2018

Australian Greens Youth spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said today he was looking forward to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters scrutinising his bill to lower the voting age to 16, saying it was an historic opportunity for this important democratic reform to pass with bipartisan support.

Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering Voting Age and Improving Democratic Participation) Bill 2018

JSJ – Second Reading Speech

For far too long, politics has failed to properly represent young people or the issues they care about.

There are many within this place, and beyond, who think young people don’t care about our world or haven’t earned the right to participate in our society, from a perceived lack of life experience or maturity.

Thursday, 21st June 2018

Australian Greens Youth spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has delivered his second reading speech on the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lower the Voting Age and Improve Democratic Participation) Bill 2018.

Senator Steele-John's speech will kick off debate on the issue of whether 16 and 17 year olds have a right to vote for the first time in Australian history.

Wednesday, 16 May 2018

Australian Greens Youth Affairs spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has pointed to the results of a Deloitte survey released today, which show young people’s faith in politics is at an all-time-low, as evidence we must lower the voting age to 16 in Australia.

“Politics doesn't hear young people, and doesn't value young people, because the old parties don't have to rely on them as a constituency, and therefore don't care about their issues or their future. It is absolutely shameful," Senator Steele-John said.

Monday, 30 April 2018

Australian Greens Youth spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has slammed Bill Shorten and the Labor party for failing to respond to calls to lower the voting age to 16 in Australia and for failing to acknowledge young people are not being heard in our democracy.

Senator Steele-John said today this was yet another classic example of the political establishment ignoring the voice of young people when they are asking to be heard, and was exactly the problem with our political system today.

The Australian Greens are urging the Federal Government to assist universities in implementing the recommendations from the Australian Human Rights Commission’s report into sexual assault and harassment on university campuses.

“This report paints an ugly picture of what life on campus is for too many young women. Every student deserves to be able to study and learn in a safe, respectful environment. Our universities must act,” Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens welcome the Federal Government reviewing local content requirements for children’s television on traditional commercial broadcasters and new streaming services.

“This review must provide practical measures to strengthen Australian children television content for broadcasters and streaming services,” Greens arts and youth spokesperson Senator Hanson-Young said.

“If the big commercial broadcasters have their way, local content quotas would be no more and our children would go without. This simply can’t be allowed to happen.