Greens renew push to lower voting age in Australia

Parliament has returned for the first time this year and Queensland Greens MP Stephen Bates wasted no time introducing a private member's bill on lowering the voting age.

Mr Bates said young Australians were more engaged than ever and his proposal would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote.

"Climate change, access to health care, housing affordability, racial justice - these are issues which young people are passionate about because they are the ones who stand to lose the most from government inaction," he told parliament on Monday.

"Lowering the voting age to 16 gives young people the opportunity to have a real say over the politics and policies that will impact them for the rest of their lives."

Mr Bates said lowering the voting age would increase political participation after voter turnout at the 2022 federal election fell below 90 per cent for the first time since compulsory voting was introduced.

"Young people are desperate to make their voices heard," he said.

"Expanding voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds to give them true representation in this place is not only the least we can do for them, it's a political inevitability."

Make It 16 Australia campaign co-founder Tabitha Stephenson-Jones said young people were engaged and ready to make a difference but politicians were afraid of them.

"They're afraid that once young people get the opportunity to vote, they will actually have to consider us in the choices they make for our communities," she said.

"Young people can be the voice for the future, but only if we are invited to the table and given the opportunity to do so."

Australian Associated Press