Inquiry recommends not passing Greens' bill to lower ACT voting age to 16

The standing committee on justice and community safety recommended the Greens bill not be passed and the ACT government find other ways to engage young people with democracy.

But Greens democracy spokesman Andrew Braddock, who co-sponsored the bill and sat on the committee, said it was not the end of the reform.

"I'm disappointed that, given the level of evidence in support of the bill, particularly from a coalition of over 30 academic experts from universities and the youth sector, the committee has still chosen to not support the bill," Mr Braddock said.

Mr Braddock said the Greens would improve the bill based on feedback from the committee and bring it back to the Assembly.

"Young people have shown they want a voice when it comes to the decisions that impact their lives and their futures, and we owe it to them to keep campaigning on this issue," he said in a statement.

The bill introduced by Greens members Johnathan Davis and Mr Braddock would make it compulsory for 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in ACT elections but it would not apply to federal elections.

The bill would also reduce the fine for not voting from $20 to $10.

Special Minister of State Chris Steel said the government would closely consider the recommendations of the inquiry.

"We support strengthening young people's input into, and participation in, democratic processes which help shape our community's shared future," Mr Steel said.

"One of the key issues raised during the inquiry is that the Bill would expose disengaged or disadvantaged young people to penalties and the court system if they fail to vote. This is a strong concern for Labor MLAs in considering this."

Most submissions to the inquiry supported the bill while five submissions opposed the change, the committee noted.

However, the committee said it was concerned lowering the voting age would expose people aged under 18 to criminal offences and the possible mental health and wellbeing impacts on young people required to vote.

"The committee is concerned that the potential positive impacts of lowering the voting age, described in overseas research journals, will not automatically translate to the ACT context as they arose in jurisdictions with voluntary voting schemes," the committee's report said.

But Mr Braddock said in a dissenting report there was no substantive or empirical evidence to back up the committee's concern for potential mental health and wellbeing impacts on young people.

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Mr Braddock said he and Johnathan Davis would further consider the issue of exposing young people to criminal penalties.

"For the population as a whole, the benefits of compulsory voting are seen to outweigh the costs of the consequences. It is perhaps time to re-examine infringement policies more broadly, and their inequitable impacts across the community," he said.

Mr Braddock said he supported the committee's second recommendation in principle - that the ACT government find other ways to engage young people with the democratic process - but it was a substandard offer in lieu of lowering the voting age.

The ACT Electoral Commission remains adamantly opposed to lowering the territory's voting age, having previously argued there were overwhelming costs and disadvantages which would outweigh any benefits.

But the ACT government and ACT Labor have indicated they would consider lowering the compulsory voting age.

A spokeswoman for the Canberra Liberals said the party had consistently supported maintaining the voting age at 18.

"This position is supported by the report handed down by the Legislative Assembly's committee on justice and community safety and the ACT Electoral Commission," the spokeswoman said.

"This is substantial electoral reform proposed by two Greens backbenchers with significant legal and social implications that have not been completely considered."

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