Campus events encourage TAFE students to enrol to vote

More than 100 students from Wollongong TAFE have registered to vote following a series of enrol to vote events this year.

Wollongong teachers and students have already organised for the Australian Electoral Commission to come to TAFE three times this year. They have organised BBQs, meet the candidate rallies and also informed students at TAFE enrolment day of the need to enrol to vote.

The Wollongong TAG (TAFE Action Group) are a group of TAFE students that are focused on informing as many other students as possible of the changes to the enrol to vote procedures.

Wollongong TAFE Fed Rep Rob Long said: "Students of TAG are angered by the changes to the Electoral Referendum Amendment Bill that will disenfranchise many young Australians. They have met with local Federal ALP member Sharon Bird and Green Senator Kerry Nettle to seek support and advice on how to protest the changes."

TAFE student Sunny Peiris said: "The Howard Government is disenfranchising people through changes to the process of enrolling to vote and we are outraged, this is an undemocratic political decision, which works against our right to vote."

The controversial changes only allow Australians until 8pm the day the writ for the election is issued to get to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) to enrol to vote.

TAG member Janelle Trigg said: "We believe that students are getting ripped off and we are angry that TAFE students are unaware of these changes to vote, so TAG will encourage students to enrol."

Mr Long said: "I feel that the new changes disenfranchise community members especially students eligible to vote. This may ultimately impact on their education if a conservative government is elected in 2007."

"I support the students' actions and hope more TAFE colleges organise enrol to vote activities. This action is timely with an upcoming federal election just around the corner," Mr Long said.

Rob Long is Fed Rep at Wollongong TAFE.

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Last Modified: 30 Aug 2007