Ensure students don’t miss their chance to vote

by Peter Wilson

Schools and TAFE colleges are strongly encouraged, before the end of the year, to actively organise for secondary and TAFE students who are 17 years of age or older to register to be able to vote in future local, state and federal elections.

Voting is compulsory in Australia, but many young people are not aware that they should register, nor are they aware of how to go about doing it. It is crucial that young people are not denied their democratic right and responsibility to participate in the electoral processes in this country.

The Federal Government has changed the electoral laws to make it harder for eligible citizens to be able to enrol to vote and to change their details once an election is called. The effect of these changes will make it almost impossible for young people to enrol to vote once the writs are issued for an election.

Whereas the previous legislation allowed citizens to enrol to vote and to update their details on the electoral roll for one full week after the election was announced, the federal Coalition has used its absolute power and control of the federal parliament to restrict this time. New enrolments now have to be made by 8pm on the day that the writs are issued, and enrolment detail changes must be made within three days of the issue of the writs.

In the past, in excess of 80,000 new enrolments have occurred in the week following the announcement of the election, and more than 350,000 updates.

It is obvious that this is yet another means whereby the federal Coalition Government is undermining the democratic nature of Australian society. We must not let them get away with yet another attack on the rights of Australian people.

Many high schools do organise a process whereby the school arranges for multiple copies of the electoral enrolment form to be sent to the school by the Australian Electoral Commission. (Contact www.aec.gov.au to arrange for these forms to be sent out.) Alternatively, the enrolment form can be downloaded and copied by your school. The school can ensure that the forms are completed, signed by students (17 years and older) and witnessed. The school can then forwards these completed forms to the Australian Electoral Commission.

What needs to happen is that every high and central school, (as well as TAFE colleges) initiates such a process on a regular basis.

Year 12, 2006

If your school or TAFE college has not actively encouraged and facilitated every student eligible to enrol to vote to do so, then please consider what you are able to put in place to bring this about.

TAFE 2007 enrolment week

This is supported by the Australian Electoral Commission. Your school will be attempting to ensure that your students are not breaking the electoral law by not registering to vote when they are required.

Peter Wilson is Assistant General Secretary (Schools).

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Last Modified: 09 Nov 2006