Is it time to lower voting age to 16?

The Children’s Commissioner is calling on politicians to lead a nationwide discussion on lowering the voting age to 16.

Judge Andrew Becroft mooted the proposal at Parliament yesterday, when he appeared in front of the MPs on the social services select committee and said those teens would be ‘‘up for the responsibility’’.

‘‘I’m calling for a genuine discussion,’’ he said.

‘‘All that I have seen about our democratic system shows that those that are least involved and invested in it are our young. The lowest voting turnout is the 18-to29 age group, we’ve got to do better. ‘‘I think provided it went handin-hand at good civics education, with a commitment to teach about the operation of government, how kids can be involved, what voting means, everything I’ve seen indicates that 16 and 17-year-olds will be up for that responsibility.’’

New Zealand would not be world leaders on the issue - Germany, Austria and Brazil all allow

16-year-olds to vote. Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom have all had the debate, and UK 16-year-olds were granted the allowance in law to vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014. The Scottish

"There is much for them to learn. But they're equally capable of expressing views and thinking about our future in encouraging and quite sophisticated ways." Children's Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft

Parliament reduced the voting age to 16 for its own and Scottish local elections in 2015.

Becroft said a discussion was the best place to start.

‘‘Something like [voting], which is fundamental to our way of doing, I’d rather it was done by a serious national discussion that was begun by MPs, community groups and school principals, and it would give everybody a chance to involve themselves.

‘‘And, of course, there are disadvantages - 16 and 17-year-olds are still developing, there is much for them to learn. But they’re equally capable of expressing views and thinking about our future in encouraging and quite sophisticated ways.’’

National Party leader Simon Bridges said he would need to see the evidence for it, but did not see lowering the voting age as a priority.

‘‘I don’t think that’s necessarily something that needs to happen. I think you’d have to see an evidence base for why that was a good idea.’’

Becroft said children aged under 18 made up 23 per cent of New Zealand’s population. However, they had no other way of influencing policy.

‘‘If they voted and had a lobby, I’m quite convinced that our policy for under-18-year-olds would significantly improve.’’

New Zealand led the world in how it cared for its aged population, with a universal superannuation scheme that was not means tested.

However, depravation rates between those under 18 and those over 65 were one of the worst in the world, according to OECD statistics.

‘‘Some of that is because the elderly are deserving of our support and should be prioritised, but they have a vote and an influence as well.

‘‘Children don’t have that. If 16 and 17-year-olds voted, you can guarantee there’d be a change.’’