Should the voting age be raised to 30?

[grandpa_spec_F6]

Time to pour some fuel on the fire then. Big Damo, this one's for you Flame suit on!

While some people go on about Gen Y not being motivated, and I don't mean to blow my own trumpet here, thats not my intention, but it really makes me do this -> when I hear the same condecening statements over and over. Here is some perspective on the matter.

Before my 20th b'day, I'd not only had 4 stable jobs, but I'd also completed 5 tafe certs in various areas relating to IT and Multimedia and Retail, was into my third year of a bachelor of IT with a GPA bordering on honours, and (big thanks to Mr Hardware for the helping hand) I landed my first full-time (now permanent) job. I've owned my lovely AU for nealry one and a half years now, and have just recently purchased a V8.

I was raised by my mother, seeing my father every weekend or so. Neither parent was very wealthy, and in the early days recall eating baked beans on toast many times as we literally couldn't afford anything else. Not all gen Y's are spoilt middle class brats who got whatever they wanted.

All of the above I have worked my backside off for, yet there are so many other people my age who have it even tougher and put their heart and soul into their studies. I have Uni friends who eat noodles for a week just because they can't afford anything else, they've come from the country and are slogging their guts out to get their degree and make their way in the big city.

While I understand how easy it is to lump people into a category and label them "useless", spare a thought for those who actually do have a brain, who are trying to be proactive and make something of themselves.

My goal in life since I was 11 years old has been to help people to the best of my ability, to share the fun times with them, to brighten up their lives, and help them where I can.

If we aren't allowed to vote, and have a voice that many of us so deeply desire, how are those who care meant to feel they have the ability to affect anything that may lead to a positive change? Would this not simply become another liberty that is being taken away from an already disenfranchised generation?

[Fev]

Social lifestyles and the overall social climate come in cycles. Fairly soon (perhaps the next 10 years?) we will swing around and the younger generation will protest and act the way the baby boomers did when they were young. IE: Everyone will have had enough.
Gen Y is just way too secluded. We are way more interested in trying to basically live, get a career, keep the job, keep a roof over our heads than to go out and spend the time trying to gather everyone else who is in the same boat to fight the cause.

[grandpa_spec_F6]

Originally Posted by Fev

Gen Y is just way too secluded. We are way more interested in trying to basically live, get a career, keep the job, keep a roof over our heads...

This reminded me of a girl I saw today, earbuds in her ears, vacant expression on her face while crossing the road. If a car beeped at her, she wouldn't have a clue, and I sometimes feel technology is reinforcing the seclusive nature of people as they don't have to deal with the outside world anymore.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by buggo_gt

I am not saying I agree with the p-plate restrictions, I am just saying I understand where they are coming from, and preparing for the next decade of second hand cars.
In the last 10 years, 6cyl cars are just as, if not much more powerful than the V8s of the 90's. What if this trend continues? 2020 Falcon XT with 250+Kw and XR8 with 350+Kw. It is 2030 and these cars are worth less than $10k. And I agree completly the restriction (if we must have one at all) should be based on power/weight, not No. of cylinders or the fact a 100Kw 4cyl has a low boost turbo. But that could be too hard for police to memorise, or access a handbook on the fly to see what car is what. And any mods throw that out the window anyway.
I have a BA XR6, while I would love an XR8, I don't think I am being punished. Driving isn't a right, rather a priveledge. You don't start a new job as the boss, do you. You have to earn that position, through proving yourself in your efforts and of course time.
You reference America, do you really want them as role models to develop our country? I don't.
And as for that last point you made, I'm not sure if that is directed at me?
I also work as well as doing my HSC this year and have an XR6, a big Plasma in my room, with surround sound, xbox, $2500 laptop, good clothes, a social life and emergency money if something ever comes up with no finance.

No no, this wasn't a potshot at you, was just putting some points out there. I wouldn't count on 2020-2030 with cars being too powerful, technology wise it probably wouldn't be an issue but the government would step in once things start getting into dangerous levels, 250Kw, fair enough for a P plater, but bring in a QLD style rule for example, max 200KW or something similar.

Then again, 2020, we're all going to be driving cars with 1.3L engines in hybrids probably "O.M.G LOL"

The problem I see with the new P plate rules is that while they banned all V8s and cars with forced induction, they allowed other cars with high power to weight ratios like S2000s, RX8s, Integra Type R (147Kw in something 1160kg), etc.

they also went out of their way to make a "high performance 6 cylinder" ban, which lists out certain cars, if they can do that, why can't they do it for 8 cylinder vehicles or just go back to power to weight ratio?

[ILLaViTaR]

Originally Posted by flappist

Ah that is better.....

Now you have worked out who is the enemy are you going to actually do something about it?

Or do you want someone else to fix it for you.......... O.M.G. LOL

P.S. The fear of a "disturbing the peace" charge hurting your future is unfounded.

Look up the histories of our Prime Ministers, Premiers, senior ministers and other leaders.

I was at right to march with Wayne Goss et al. Peter Garrett had the odd high profile "appearance" before he was famous and I am not sure how many others on here have had actual terrorism charges raised against them over the years.....

When your generation didn't do anything about anything.

You're incredibly hypocritical.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by ILLaViTaR

When your generation didn't do anything about anything.

You're incredibly hypocritical.

Keep the personal insults to PM please, I don't want this thread locked. Its just showing the people you are aiming them at that Generation Y is just a bunch of morons I reckon.

[Auturbo6]

I feel that voting should be non compulsory, this way people with some insight and intellegence can (in theory anyway) have the government that will serve the people (also in theory) in the most appropriate way. Or lets just vote in the government that spends the most money and sends the country broke, whatever works!!!!!!!!! Ow wait we did!

[Chopped]

I seem to remember the government was looking at lowering the voting age to 16 but I see no reason to change it from 18.
I also believe most first time voters generally vote for who their parents are voting for.

All this back and forth between the Boomers and Gen Y always makes me feel left out (Dammit!). How come Gen X barely gets a mention in this battle ?! (Are we that lame )

[gtfpv]

Originally Posted by Chopped

I seem to remember the government was looking at lowering the voting age to 16 but I see no reason to change it from 18.
I also believe most first time voters generally vote for who their parents are voting for.

All this back and forth between the Boomers and Gen Y always makes me feel left out (Dammit!). How come Gen X barely gets a mention in this battle ?! (Are we that lame )

gen X is known as the working generation , gen X started off under baby boomers, gen x have adapted accordingly , gen x'rs all had work to walk into full time , and training at hand when starting out , as the decades progressed , younger gen xrs started staying home longer and putting off marraige , many gen xrs have bailed out and divorced etc , gen x are very very hard workers , work long hours / multiple jobs/ started bussinesses etc / they have adapted . gen x pay revenue taxes like no other .
GEN Y havent had the chance or oportnity to adapt . they need to be entrepreneurs to garrauntee a middle class struggle / or change the system . one thing i do know is the gen x's wont stand in gen y's way as baby boomers did to us. gen x will go with the flow and know that gen Y have got a raw deal before starting , we lost a lot that the baby boomers had , we dont want to see gen y not have a fair go . gen x is doing ok , we are making it . if we arent compelled to back up gen y's because gen y's ;ye down and take it , we wont , but if gen y want a revolution gen x will not stand in the way they would endeouver to help gen y . not preaching , but gen x are an inbetween huge changes generation , i know my kids wont be able to do it the way i did . and i would like to see that come back , with all our manufacturing gone though it will be a challange gen y will have to solve .

[Baron.LSN]

Firstly, on the issue of whether voting should be compulsory, it absolutely should. There are some positive arguments to be made about higher-level policy debates and that those who have no idea shouldn't be in charge of who runs this country, but the fact is, non-compulsory voting heavily favours the conservative establishment.

Secondly, as to arguments about whether the voting age should be lifted, or to get to the core of it, whether Gen Y has no clue about who to vote for or why they're voting, that is a load of crap. There is no reason there would be any greater a proportion of 'idiots' who lack true political leanings now then there were in previous generations. If anything the pervasive spread of information in modern times means that more young people are properly informed from a greater variety of less partisan sources than ever before. Personally, among most of the people I am friends with (all around 20yo, most at uni) there were very impassioned debates on facebook (yes, omglol, DIAF) about policies and parties. There are a wide variety of opinions out there, many of them quite strongly held. Also, I think more younger voters out there are tempted to look further afield than either Labor or Liberal when considering how to vote... even donkey votes have their place, because they send a very strong message to the Big Parties that there are votes out there to be caught.

Thirdly, people shouldn't be using phones whilst driving. It is a shame that it needs to be legislated against to stop people from doing it, but it really shouldn't be done. Maybe your opinion on that will change if some idiot trying to text rear-ends you at a set of lights.

Fourthly, good for whoever it was that has seen spun out after a couple of light shandies, glad you're OK, that is truly fantastic. Again, maybe your opinion on that will change when you spin out and hit another car. Hope you're OK.

Finally, as has been pointed out by many others, we have relatively little to complain about, at least as far as things that it would be useful to complain about go. I do disagree with some of the directions that we're being taken, but none of the issues are truly focussed enough to create a movement, and maybe that is the problem. I'm also annoyed that Boomer's have bought all the houses and in their greed inflated the property market (Perth) beyond many young people's hopes of ever being able to succeed in. Not that you can truly fault people for seeking to maximise their own assets in a legitimate way, but it has created quite a problem.

[Scott]

In my own "unbiased" opinion......and to put in my own simple terms:

The Silent Generation had the forsight to buy land;

The Baby Boomers, under influence from The Silent Generation thought about getting some permits to build, got a few quotes but if not for a few shining lights would have done little more;

Gen X turned up, grabbed the land, grabbed the quotes and built the house - stuck a nice car in the garage too;

Gen Y was has been bought home from the hospital and played in the sandpit Gen X built for them, got a heap of loans to pay for their plasma, mobile phone and
notebooks and the odd one has helped Gen X update the house to a technological marvel - the rest are ****ed off the sandpit is full of cat ****.

Gen "Next" (born 2000 onwards) will look back at Gen Y and wonder who ****ed in the gene pool. They will be raised by Gen X'rs and told to ignore the space in the middle.

Voting should not be compulsory

[Mr Hardware]

No-one's commenting on Gen X because they haven't had to struggle at either end of the spectrum, they came into the world on the coat-tails of all the baby boomers fought for, but entered life & the property market before the baby boomers got greedy. So no-one's crying for them cos they ain't got nothing to cry about.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

No-one's commenting on Gen X because they haven't had to struggle at either end of the spectrum, they came into the world on the coat-tails of all the baby boomers fought for, but entered life & the property market before the baby boomers got greedy. So no-one's crying for them cos they ain't got nothing to cry about.

You mean like the Gen X's that endured "the recession we had to have", several major market collapses, interest rates upward of 18%, a house price collapse, Sept 11 and the uncertainty that cam with it then having to put up with Gen Y's that have, apart from housing affordability, had an absolute dream run.

[XR6TCraig]

Originally Posted by gtfpv

gen X is known as the working generation , gen X started off under baby boomers, gen x have adapted accordingly , gen x'rs all had work to walk into full time , and training at hand when starting out .

Actually thats a very general description that may apply to some of the younger in the Gen X category, but which isn't neccesarily true for most. I am a Gen Xer at age 38. I left school in Victoria in '89', aged 17 and was half way though my apprenticeship when the reccession that we had to have started in the early 90s. I ended up out of work for 6 months. I had no savings because I earnt stuff all ( $128 a week take home as a first year apprentice, $188 take home in the second year, $50 of which went straight toward transport costs just so I could get to work).

Any money that I had accumulated was spent on my first car just prior to losing my job. Ironically I bought it to make it easier to get to work and cart my tools around. A lot of my mates had no work at this time either. Come to think of it, the only guys who had work, were employed by their dad. Unemployment was much higher than it is now. Interest rates were a lot higher than they are now, and the economy was stuffed, especially in Vic where I grew up.

I eventually was able to find someone who would employ me as an apprentice, but he wouldn't let me attend trade school to complete the formal part of my training . He also had me working 55 hour weeks but only paid me for 40, keeping me poor in the process. I had to do my TAFE in my own time ( took holiday leave initially and eventually left him after the 4 years required in an apprenticeship was up so I could attend TAFE full time to complete it and get my ticket). I very nearly didn't finish the training at TAFE or my apprenticeship.

I dont remember having it anywhere near as easy as you portray the way you think every Gen Xer had it, but I put my head down, bum up and just perservered. I refer to it as a character building time of my life!

The only other time that has been just as character building is right now. I have 2 kids under the age of 2, a big mortgage, ever increasing bills and my wife isn't working at the moment. Every cent I earn is used to feed, clothe and pay bills with little left for luxuries. The only savings we have is money that was put away before the kids arrived. Not much of a life at the moment, but that will all change once the kids get a little older.

[WMD351]

To quote Homer Simpson, "The children are our future, UNLESS WE STOP THEM NOW"
Maybe Bill Hicks was closer to the mark when he said some people will say "I think the politician on the left represents me best" and others will say "the politician on the right represents my point of view" BUT WAKE UP PEOPLE, IT'S THE SAME GUY HOLDING UP BOTH PUPPETS!
When's Guy Fawkes day again?
Me personally, I think you can fool most of the people all of the time, but then again I'm a cynical and apathetic Xer

[flappist]

Originally Posted by ILLaViTaR

When your generation didn't do anything about anything.

You're incredibly hypocritical.

Hmm didn't do anything about it?

Tried street marching or protesting lately..... hey you don't get locked up or any thing....

Remember the war in Vietnam?..... Just like Iraq/Afghanistan (except it was commies not terrorists)

Any gay people jailed for their sexual preference lately?

We sorted some of it, not all. I am fat, dumb and happy and live a nice life and I will be dead soon enough.

The alcopop tax, P plate rules or whatever do not effect me personally but as opposed to a few others I want those who follow me to not let Australia become the place that North Koreans tell their kids that they are lucky they do not live in.

The future is yours. What you do with it is up to you......

[JACK250]

Nearly all of my 17 / 18 year old mates read up on policies of parties prior to the election, even when some of us aren't voting. I'd say the majority of over 30's wouldn't do that. So I say voting be for under 30's only... Not.

There are for sure a high amount of braindead laws coming through but to me the reason is simple, during the 3 year term, nearly the whole time is wasted on trying to ensure that party is voted in next time... That's why we see the band-aid fixes and knee jerk reactions.

[[Tonko]]

I'm 23. I believe i had a valid opinion on the latest election and for you to say that i am too young to form an opinion is insulting to me. My friends are the same way, believe it or not, in the same age group.

Are you targeting us or the 50+ crowd? which i believe are the majority....

[ToCo]

Just remind me, who raised generation Y ha?
Not palming the blame to the oldies here but somewhere clearly something changed in how kids were raised from Gen X to Gen Y.
Flappist you say that the future is ours and its up to us to decide what we do with it in the grand scheme of things we (Gen Y) haven't exactly had a huge amount of time to change/do anything about it, you don't see many Gen Y's in politics and making the rules its Gen X that are running the country at the moment, they're the ones that are bringing in the rules/policies/scams that you have posted about. It just seems strange that some people are blaming Gen Y for whats going on now when Gen X are the ones in power and had a larger hand in what is going on.
Thats my 2c from a 20 y.o. Gen Y
But hey, lucky its all sarcasm.. right?

Todd.

[JazManXII]

i dont think that just because i dont march in the streets i should have no say in the future of a country i love so much
why cant i just use my vote as a protest against government policies i dont agree with

[flappist]

Originally Posted by JazManXII

i dont think that just because i dont march in the streets i should have no say in the future of a country i love so much
why cant i just use my vote as a protest against government policies i dont agree with

You can. But unfortunately only once every few years.

Street marching is not always the answer, nothing ever is.

But there seems to be quite a bit of passion unearthed here so maybe there is a bright future ahead. Time will tell.