Primary Parliament 2000

PRIMARY PARLIAMENT, MONDAY 22 MAY 2000

PRIMARY PARLIAMENT - CHILDREN ARE CITIZENS TOO!

Daniel Cook, Wendouree Primary School,
Acting Serjeant at Arms, with Gavin Bourke,
Serjeant at Arms

PARTICIPANTS:

MORNING SESSION:

Acting Speaker - Mary Gillett, M.P. (Werribee)

Affirmative- Sunshine North Primary School and Cambridge Primary School (Western Metropolitan Region)

Negative- Wendouree Primary School (Central Highlands Wimmera Region) AFTERNOON SESSION:

Acting Speaker - Christine Fyffe, M.P. (Evelyn)

Affirmative- Big Hill Primary School (Loddon Campaspe Mallee Region)

Negative- Bimbadeen Heights Primary School (Eastern Metropolitan Region)

INTRODUCTION:

Wendouree Primary School students On Monday, 22^nd May, at 9:50 a.m., the Hon. Mary Delahunty, Minister for Education, opened Primary Parliament in the Legislative Assembly Chamber of Victoria’s Parliament House.

Primary Parliament was held as part of Education Week, which was celebrated from 21^st to 27^th of May. Parliament of Victoria’s Education Office, together with the Department of Education, Employment and Training arranged for 100 primary school students to participate in each session of Primary Parliament. The morning session went from 9:50 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The afternoon session commenced at 1:00 p.m. and went through until 2:30 p.m.

Primary Parliament gave the participants a chance to experience the parliamentary process and bring to life the concepts they have been studying in class. This role-play activity was designed to help them gain civic knowledge and encourage them to become active, informed citizens of our democracy.

The students debated the topic "That children are citizens too, so 10 – 17 year olds should be allowed to vote in elections if they wish to do so."

Selected students (six from each side) presented speeches of up to two minutes duration, written by the class over weeks of intensive preparation. Once all the speeches had been presented, there was a chance for any of the students to ask or respond to questions.

Students then broke into small groups to discuss aspects of the topic in greater detail and report their findings back to the Chamber. Each group had a different discussion topic. These were:

1: Children do not want to be bothered with making decisions about important issues of government when an election comes around. They just want to be kids. They should not have the right to vote.

2: Children of today are more informed about political issues through the media and education. Many of them could make an informed decision at election time, so they should be allowed to vote.

3: Young people are the future of our community, so they should have a say in how the community is governed. Children should be allowed to vote.

4: If children had the right to vote, candidates would need to try to make their policies clear enough for children to understand, in order to win their votes. This would actually help a lot of adults better understand politics. Children should have the right to vote.

5: Children will vote the way their teachers or parents tell them to. This is unfair, because it would be like that teacher or parent having extra votes. Children should therefore not be allowed to vote.

6: Giving children the right to vote in elections would encourage them to become better informed about community issues and therefore make them better citizens. Children should be allowed to vote.

7: Adults can vote for the candidates who will best look after the interests of children. Politicians know what is in the best interests of young people. Children do not need the right to vote.

THE DEBATE:

When making their speeches and reporting back from small group discussions, the students made the following points in favour of children having the right to vote:

It should be what you know that matters, not how old you are. People do not become suddenly mature and informed the minute they turn 18. Children learn about democracy, government and voting in school, so they should be allowed to vote.
Citizenship is about rights as well as responsibilities. Children have rights and this should include the right to vote. They deserve to be heard.
Children can absorb more information than adults. Children are able to think clearly and rationally.
Adults do not necessarily know or care about who runs the country, yet they are able to vote.
Some adults may lack the knowledge needed to vote wisely. For example, some migrants may be unsure of our system. Their children will learn about it at school, so they may be better able to vote than their parents.
Children and adults do similar things, e.g. play sport, watch T.V., buy products, use public transport etc. so children should be able to vote too. Some 10 – 17 year olds have adult responsibilities such as looking after younger siblings or having a part time job and paying tax. They are affected by government decisions, so should have a say in making those decisions.
Children our Australia’s future. They should have a say in how the country develops.
Government can not meet the needs of all Australians if they can’t all vote.
The right to vote has been given to different groups of people in Australia over time, such as women, Aboriginals and 18 to 20 year olds. It is time children were added to this timeline of development.
Children these days do things that children did not do many years ago, such as taking an active part in representative groups at school. Children now are ready for the responsibility of voting.
Children should not be judged incapable as a group of voting properly.
Denying children the vote is undemocratic.
Voting is a big responsibility, so children should start voting at an early age to get experience.
If children were allowed to vote, politicians would need to explain their policies in simplified terms, which would actually help a lot of adults as well.
Children will become better citizens if they are allowed to vote, because it will encourage them to become more informed about issues.
Secret ballot will ensure that children are not unduly influenced by peers or parents.

When making their speeches and reporting back from small group discussions, the students made the following points against children having the right to vote: Wendouree Primary School students

Most children do not have the necessary knowledge to vote responsibly. They do not understand policies or procedures.

Children tend to consider only short-term matters, rather than seeing the "big picture".

Children can still be regarded as citizens even if they do not vote.

Children are not considered old enough to make other adult decisions about such things as driving, smoking or drinking alcohol, so they are not old enough to make decisions about who to vote for.

If children are old enough to vote, they should be old enough to take responsibility for their actions also, yet children are currently considered by the law to be incapable of understanding the consequences of their actions.

Children would tend to vote according to personalities or looks, rather than the policies of candidates. They would be too easily swayed by fads and fashions.

Children would be too easily influenced by peer pressure or by their parents. They would not be exercising an independent choice.

Children are not motivated to vote responsibly. They should be able to enjoy their childhood without the responsibility of having to vote.

Costs of elections would increase if children were given the vote.

Children are too young to transport themselves to the polling place.

Adults are more experienced so they are able to vote to protect the interests of children.

THE VOTE:

Wendouree Primary School students After hearing the speeches and reports of the discussion groups, the students role-played a division in the Chamber.

The motion was put,

"That children are citizens too, so 10 – 17 year olds should be allowed to vote in elections if they wish to do so."

The results were:

Morning Session:- The question was decided in the affirmative; 53 ayes, 43 noes.

Afternoon Session:- The question was decided in the negative; 43 ayes, 70 noes.

After votes of thanks to the Acting Speaker and the Education Officer, Primary Parliament was adjourned until next year.

Primary School students in the Legislative Assembly