Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern said Monday that she supports lowering the voting age to 16, but that the decision to do so will be made by all of Parliament.
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Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that lawmakers will consider legislation to lower the voting age to 16 after the country's Supreme Court on Monday ruled that its current minimum age limit of 18 violated the country's bill of human rights.
Ardern made the announcement during a post-cabinet press conference, stating a super majority of 75% of lawmakers will be needed to pass the proposed legislation as it is a matter of electoral law.
"Ultimately, we see the best way for the matter to be resolved is for the whole Parliament to vote on it," she said. "Government alone cannot change this law."
Ardern made the announcement hours after New Zealand's Supreme Court ruled that the country's election laws establishing a minimum voting age of 18 are inconsistent with its Bill of Rights Act of 1990 that protects one from discrimination on the basis of age when they reach 16 years old.
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Make It 16, an organization seeking to lower the voting age.
"This is history," Caeden Tipler, Make It 16 co-director, said in a statement. "Today, New Zealand's highest court has confirmed that stopping young people from voting is a breach of our human rights."
"The government and Parliament cannot ignore such a clear, legal and moral message." Tipler said. "They must let us vote."
Ardern said that in reaction to the court's ruling Cabinet lawmakers decided to draft legislation on lowering the voting age for consideration by the entire Parliament.
"If supported, it would not take effect for the next general elections," she said.
The prime minister said that while she supports lowering the voting age she cannot speak on how any member of the House, including those of her own Labor Party, stands on the issue.
"What I can tell you is that this is a matter where I hope parties feel that they're able to have an open debate and discussion that isn't based on politics but on their own values and principles," she said.
Paul Goldsmith, spokesman for the center-right National Party, said they see no compelling case to lower the voting age.
"National will keep the voting age at 18," he said in a statement.
On the other end of the political spectrum, the left-wing Green Party said they were unequivocally for it.
"Young people deserve to have a say in the decisions that affect them, both now and in the future," Golriz Ghahraman, Green Party electoral reform spokeswoman, said in a statement. "We are calling on the government to come to the table with a plan to change the law to extend the voting age."
If New Zealand passes the legislation, it will join a short list of countries that have a minimum voting age of 16, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Malta, Nicaragua, Scotland and Germany, but in only some local elections, according to the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network.
Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that lawmakers will consider legislation to lower the voting age to 16 after the country's Supreme Court on Monday ruled that its current minimum age limit of 18 violated the country's bill of human rights.
Ardern made the announcement during a post-cabinet press conference, stating a super majority of 75% of lawmakers will be needed to pass the proposed legislation as it is a matter of electoral law.
"Ultimately, we see the best way for the matter to be resolved is for the whole Parliament to vote on it," she said. "Government alone cannot change this law."
Ardern made the announcement hours after New Zealand's Supreme Court ruled that the country's election laws establishing a minimum voting age of 18 are inconsistent with its Bill of Rights Act of 1990 that protects one from discrimination on the basis of age when they reach 16 years old.
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Make It 16, an organization seeking to lower the voting age.
"This is history," Caeden Tipler, Make It 16 co-director, said in a statement. "Today, New Zealand's highest court has confirmed that stopping young people from voting is a breach of our human rights."
"The government and Parliament cannot ignore such a clear, legal and moral message." Tipler said. "They must let us vote."
Ardern said that in reaction to the court's ruling Cabinet lawmakers decided to draft legislation on lowering the voting age for consideration by the entire Parliament.
"If supported, it would not take effect for the next general elections," she said.
The prime minister said that while she supports lowering the voting age she cannot speak on how any member of the House, including those of her own Labor Party, stands on the issue.
"What I can tell you is that this is a matter where I hope parties feel that they're able to have an open debate and discussion that isn't based on politics but on their own values and principles," she said.
Paul Goldsmith, spokesman for the center-right National Party, said they see no compelling case to lower the voting age.
"National will keep the voting age at 18," he said in a statement.
On the other end of the political spectrum, the left-wing Green Party said they were unequivocally for it.
"Young people deserve to have a say in the decisions that affect them, both now and in the future," Golriz Ghahraman, Green Party electoral reform spokeswoman, said in a statement. "We are calling on the government to come to the table with a plan to change the law to extend the voting age."
If New Zealand passes the legislation, it will join a short list of countries that have a minimum voting age of 16, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Malta, Nicaragua, Scotland and Germany, but in only some local elections, according to the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network.
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