Two nights ago I was in Torquay in the electorate of Corangamite to launch the campaign of Labor candidate Darren Cheeseman. Changing demographics in Corangamite, such as the burgeoning population along the Surf Coast, have turned this once safe Liberal seat into a real chance for Labor. Launching the campaign of a young and energetic candidate like Darren neatly finished a week in which Labor kept its focus firmly on the future and young people, with announcements on child care and renewable energy.
In the past few years the Howard Government has given up even pretending to care about the concerns of young Australians. It has been negligent on policy areas that matter to young people like education. But even more seriously, it has closed off ways for young people to get involved in the democratic process. In its first term the Government stripped funding from the peak national youth group, the Australian Youth Policy and Action Coalition, and replaced it with the less effective National Youth Roundtable. More recently, the Government has abolished the National Indigenous Youth Leadership Group, got rid of the position of Youth Minister and legislated against universal student unionism.
The Government’s most transparent act of disenfranchisement came last year. It changed the electoral laws limiting the amount of time available to sign on to the electoral roll once an election has been called. This move was designed to strike directly at the voting power of young people, who according to a recent poll are voting 73-27 in favour of Labor, and who are among those most likely to be unenrolled. According to The Age, AEC figures released on Friday showed that 77 000 voters enrolled to vote after the election had been called. But those enrolments were only possible because the deadline for new enrolments – the issuing of the electoral writs – happened three days later than usual. Next election, a new set of potential enrolees might not be so lucky.
It’s no wonder the Howard Government has tried to keep young voters off the roll. It has failed to address the issue of housing affordability, making it impossible for many young people to enter the housing market. It has taken money away from higher education at the same time as other wealthy nations have been putting money in. And it has failed to act on climate change, shifting the burden of its failures onto those too young even to vote. John Howard can record all the YouTube clips he likes, but until he starts to take an actual interest in young people’s concerns, he can’t expect young people to take him seriously.
