New Zealand court docket guidelines voting age of 18 is discriminatory By Reuters

By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s highest court docket dominated on Monday that the nation’s present voting age of 18 was discriminatory, forcing parliament to debate whether or not it must be lowered.

The case, which has been going via the courts since 2020, was purchased by advocacy group Make It 16, which desires the age lowered to incorporate 16 and 17 yr olds.

The Supreme Courtroom discovered that the present voting age of 18 was inconsistent with the nation’s Invoice of Rights, which provides folks a proper to be free from age discrimination after they have reached 16.

The choice triggers a course of through which the difficulty should come earlier than parliament for dialogue and be reviewed by a parliamentary choose committee. But it surely doesn’t pressure parliament to vary the voting age.

“That is historical past,” mentioned Make It 16 co-director Caeden Tipler, including: “The federal government and parliament can not ignore such a transparent authorized and ethical message. They have to allow us to vote.”

The group says on its web site there’s inadequate justification to cease 16 yr olds from voting after they can drive, work full time and pay tax.

Political events in New Zealand have combined views on the topic. The Inexperienced Celebration desires instant motion to decrease the voting age to 16, however largest opposition get together, the Nationwide get together, doesn’t assist the shift.

“Clearly, we have got to attract a line someplace,” mentioned Nationwide get together chief Christopher Luxon. “We’re comfy with the road being 18. Plenty of totally different international locations have totally different locations the place the road’s drawn and from our standpoint, 18’s simply positive.”

The Labour authorities has not publicly commented on the choice.