KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
Bruce
I have visited the Flight Centre, and am off to pack my speedos, flippers and Hawaiian shirts!We can't control the weather, but we can beat it, even if for only 7 nights.
Still thinking about this
More legislation from a woman who has lost count of the number of times she has been arrested. Yet we are meant to respect her ..Thinking still further. Sue thinks educating our youth will be the answer. We educate them on sexual health and we have climbing rates of STD and unwanted pregnancy. We educate them on drinking and driving and still nothing changes.With slick advertising and the offer of free downloads a voting age of 16 will only be for the betterment of the Green Party and will do nothing for New Zealand. Sue, you and your ilk are starting to make Australia attractive.
Lynda
I smack my kids today to correct them, I broke the law. I will continue to break this law. If voting age is reduce to 16, I might as well start having sex with 16 year olds. I am 30.
Jim from Palmy
Sue Bradford wants to change the voting age to 16 because Austria did it? Why don't we change our flag and become "New Austria", get a life Sue or move
to Austria and yodel with the mountain goats.
Andy
I remember back in my forth-form social studies class (going back around 17 years here), the teacher asking the class who they would vote for if they could. When he came to the question: "Who will vote for the Green party?", it must have been at least two-thirds of the class that raised their hands in an explosive "Yeah!!!". Hence, I am not even slightly surprised that the Greens are pushing for this. They know where their votes are.
Sarah (Wellington)
For Goodness sake. I've had enough of Sue Bradford! Isn't there an endangered starfish or a fantail with hiccups she could be saving. Lowering the age of voting to 16 won't drum up extra voters for Greens and Labour. Here's a novel concept, try looking after ordinary New Zealanders, that might work.
Mikos
If kids need to be legislated to protect them from the evils of the mince pie then surely they shouldn't be voting? This inconsistency in policy smacks of both vote seeking and social engineering. Personally I have no idea why we are trying to turn our kids into adults faster and faster every year. I would much prefer a standardised age of 'adulthood' that controlled all the tough options (booze/car/voting) and set that at 20. Let kids be kids for aslong as they can, once you become an adult its all work and taxes till the day you die!
Trish Coyle (Phoenix)
No, the voting age is fine where it is. Sue Bradford will have children running the country and developing economic and social policy very soon. Perhaps the Bill should be to have her removed from office. Her pathetic and naive legislation will ruin New Zealand entirely. Ms Bradford has already tampered with parental rights whilst New Zealand's young are becoming a new breed of terrorists. On a visit home just last week I was accosted in the street of a small town in the Waikato by 3 boys who could not have been more than 13 or 14. They tried to stop a woman from parking where she wanted to - she drove off down the road to find an alternative place. They lunged at my toddler granddaughter and swore at me. We were both very alarmed. Oh yes, these boys were blue eyed blonds. As a High School teacher for many years in Social Sciences, I do think civics is essential in the school curriculum, but before young people can vote they need to have a little more life experience, whether they can work and pay taxes before that time. They will simply vote like their parents and that does not engender independence. 16 year olds are not ready for that privilege.
Fizzer
This is brilliant. Why dont we lower the drinking age to 16 too. I mean if kids can decide who they want to run the country can surely decide whether or not they can drink responsibly. Is it just me or do other people find this ridiculous too!
Sandy (Te Atatu)
I am a 57 yr old academic and environmental lobbyist and write to support the change in the voting age to 16. It has always seemed ironic and unjust to me that at 15 you can join the navy and be trained to kill (or be killed) but not allowed to have a voice in setting those policy decisions in place. I have no children and am now at an age where I personally have nothing to gain from this, it is simply a question of justice and consistency.
Julia Walsh
The voting age should definitely not be lowered! While it's true that at 16 people can get married, have children and be taxed a very small minority of them have the maturity to deal with the first two situations. At 16 political opinions are usually yet to be formed and by lowering the voting age to 16 we will be forcing children to undertake tasks the majority of them are not suited for. Let them enjoy their freedom a bit longer before being constantly harrassed by politicians like the rest of us unfortunately are.
JR
Not surprising this idea comes from the Greens - and Bradford in particular. Next lets legalise P, Crack & any other drug of choice to go with their accepted weed & party pills. Also lower the drinking age to 12 and allow generous incentives for those who want to buy souped up cars, insurance not required. Need to lower the driving age as well - no test please. Empty the jails - noone in there is actually guilty - its all the result of an unhappy childhood - its really not their fault. Just give the crims more State money so they don't need to commit crime to feed their habits. Perhaps those aged between 10 and 16 could qualify for a half vote and 6 to 10 a quarter vote. Maybe school is not really important - growing pot in the Coromandel is better for the country. But noone under the age of 50 is allowed to join the armed forces. Over the past 8 years Labour has tried to secure votes by creating as many public servants as possible - now the Greens want to chase a possible youth vote. These people certainly know how to make MMP look stupid.
Andrew
Regrettably It really doesn't matter how asinine or extreme Sue Bradford becomes, under MMP and the party list, she'll be returned to parliament...sad isn't it?
Donald Stewart
Are these the same 16 year olds that are deemed incapable of making the correct choices regarding food when at school? There is a huge disparity here especially when Ms Bradford's is the party pushing food controls at school.
Mark
Sue Bradford is only doing this because she knows that most young people are liberal or have a left wing way of thinking. She should be more concerned with these "adults" about their drinking habits, driving habits, and sex habits. Already, Elections New Zealand is finding it difficult for 18-year-olds to vote so what does she think 16- and 17-year-olds will be any different. When I was 16, the only worry I had was "I wonder if that girl likes me or not". Children should be seen and not heard. Oh yes, if this goes ahead, Sue would have to remind them that they need to vote at a polling booth and not by text as they do on NZ Idol.
Allergy (Hamilton)
Half a lifetime ago when I was 16 I was very political, and cursed the fact that I couldn't vote. Like the rest of the sheep in New Zealand, some will enthusiastically take up the offer to have a say, and some will not. I think it's a good way to ensure that youth get a chance to be heard (hope their representatives can be 16 too, otherwise they would not be very representative would they?)
Bruce
Okay, so the voting age was 18 and was used as the excuse for lowering the drinking age to 18 and now there are a host of associated problems and even 16-year-olds get access to alcohol pretty easily. Let's lower the voting age to 16, which will mean the drinking age should also be lowered 16, so we get another increase in social problems and even 14-year-olds with access to alcohol. Another hare-brained scheme from the mother of such things. Nice one Sue!
Neill R
No, it's just another desperate attempt by the mad, dope smoking sandal wearers to shore up their voting support.
Jada (Greerton)
I can understand why the Greens want this, the only people who could vote for them and their crazy dogmas are mental defectives and children.
PCB (Auckland)
Game, set and Match. From being a Green Party follower and a supporter, Ms Bradford's latest outburst proves just how wrong MMP is. I would consider a voting age of 16 to be a joke but considering her last 'success' God help New Zealand (if I'm still allowed to enlist the aid of the almighty).
Peter
Sue Bradford is a Member of Parliament or House of Representatives. She represents the idiots!
Stanley (Torbay)
Who needs weapons of mass destruction when we have Sue Bradford.
Crispin Caldicott
What a pity Ms Bradford is paid to waste so much time on fatuous issues. This smacks - no pun intended - of not having enough real work to do. Do resign and put your efforts into something tangible, Ms Bradford, such as planting trees.
Concerned Parent (Auckland)
I just can't understand the government of today. Our kids have no idea when it is they are considered adults these days. They can legally have sex at 16 - therefore saying its okay to have a child and be responsible for a life, drive a car when they are 15 - therefore be responsible for others lives. But in the same instance stay at school till 18, they can't drink till 18 as they are not adults till then, they can murder someone at 12-16 and not go to jail because there a minor, now you want them to have a say in who runs our country at 16! My son is almost 16 and I can't imagine him knowing enough about life, government or laws to make an informed choice about who is PM. I think we need to start with making it clear to our kids just when it is you're an adult and to be held accountable for all there actions! Is it not enough that now we have our kids telling us ha ha, you can't smack us because I will call the police & you'll go to jail. Make it one age for all or at least get some consistency and structure.
Felix
New Zealand was the first country to give women the right to vote. Let us not get left behind in giving 16-year-olds the vote. Next year's election is the first one I will be old enough to vote in. I already decided which party I will vote for when I am around 15-16, so I think this is a brilliant idea.
TC
No, it is too young. They are not interested in the state of the national at that age. The current government know their days are numbered and are now hoping of finding anyway of getting some extra votes.
Marns
What sixteen-year-old has paid a mortgage, paid bills, taken care of a dependant? (Any teenage girl collecting the DBP is omitted on the basis that a lack of responsibility has landed them in a situation where they are beholden to the NZ taxpayer; and statistically speaking will be for a significant period of time i.e. not responsible). How many have developed a portfolio of life skills? How many understand economic, financial or foreign policy issues? Not many, if any! Additionally evidence suggests increasing proportions have considerable difficulty handling issues like the "reduced drinking age", "increasing debt on depreciating assets like cars", "driving" add in the teenage pregnancy rates that have escalated to near epidemic proportions over recent years! Really? Let them the vote? Why hand them the means to influence policy they can barely comprehend? NCEA is proof enough that "comprehension" is a thing of the past. Why would Sue Bradford so blithely suggest giving teenagers the responsibility to vote? It's easy - maybe represent an easily influenced, more easily manipulated voter base. No doubt some research has suggested that this group are predisposed to "green" issues.
Barry
If Labour were to back her like the anti-smacking bill then Labour will be the next opposition party in parliament.
Andrew
Whoopee! Does that come with a free xBox and BMX bike?
Sophia
I am over Sue Bradford's grand ideas. Who is letting her shoot her mouth off? She should be stopped, stood down, or get a job where she can do some real work for a change. Does she think that lowering the voting age will get her party more votes? I don't think that even 16-year-olds are that silly! Wake up Sue!
Richard
Sue seems to have a lot of time draft legislation no-one wants. Perhaps it's time for her to draft her resignation?
Westie
How about the Greens sticking to green issues, or have they run out of endangered snails and melting icebergs?
Comrade
Voting age should be lowered to age 5. By this time children will have learnt to smack their parents, and get away with it, knowing the parents can't retaliate. Children are responsible citizens at this age. There's a good chance their intelligence will be at a similar level to some of the adults in the Beehive.
Ange (Canterbury)
What is this woman thinking about? You do realise that if she gets her way and this is implemented, she will most probably try and lower the drinking age as well. We see the carnage and many problems with the youth of today, I hardly think that they are mature enough to even comprehend the understanding of the voting policies. Maybe she is hopeful that the Greens can entice some teenagers to her party.
John McCall
This has got to be a joke! Most 16-year-olds are not mature enough to know the responsibilities of voting. This is just another nutty idea. At this age (even 18) most young people are extremely impressionable and not mature enough to balance political viewpoints. My own 18- and 16-year-olds daughters would not know a thing about what is and what isn't important to vote on. There are far more important issues to deal with than this tinpot plan.
Mum (Auckland)
As a mother of a 16-year-old, I would have to say most 16-years-old have enough on their plate with their education and social life than to start having to worry about adult stuff. I personally didn't feel ready to vote until I was 22! If we keep reducing the age for things, when are kids going to be allowed to be kids? Up to five years maybe?
Susan O'Neill
Lower the voting age? Just look around Ms Bradford have a look at the youth of today, out of control, immature etc etc, and parents being unable to discipline them at all without fear of being prosecuted. Do you really want these people being able to decide our futures? I think not. Perhaps we should be raising the age to 20 to be able to marry, vote, drink etc. Can't wait for the next elections, bet the Greens get very little votes so Sue Bradford will be history, best event this century I believe.
AKG (Auckland)
Good heavens but this woman is a menace! First the anti-smacking debacle and now this rubbish! If the Government and other Members of Parliament applied themselves responsibly to the real problems of this country (not to mention listening to what the people want as opposed to what they think the people should have) instead of wasting their time aiding and abetting and excusing people's irresponsible behaviour, less people would be leaving to go and live in Australia! 16-year-olds are neither interested enough or know enough about the system to make a decision on voting for who should govern NZ. Furthermore, does she not know about levels of maturity? Having raised two children into adulthood I can say with conviction that their level of maturity was certainly not anything to write home about between the ages of 15 and 18! Apply yourself to increasing the driving, drinking and legal age for sex laws and we might have a better society in NZ Sue! Our prisons might be a little less full too! Sue Bradford is clearly past her sell-by date. She, together with Labour and the Greens need to be turfed out. She clearly has way too much time on her hands! We need some new blood at the Beehive.
Karl (Massey)
Oh, so many great comments and so little space to embellish them! I think everyone so far has made some excellent points. On one hand we're saying 16-year-olds can't choose what to eat, and shouldn't drive, and that 18-year-olds shouldn't drink, yet the Bradford Brigade wants to let them all vote. What sticks in my craw is that Bradford is in Parliament without any direct votes whatsoever. Nobody voted for her to be there, not even the morons who voted for the Green Party and managed to lump her on to everybody else. Why not give her a small, currently uninhabited island and let her set up her own perfect society, and see how many people want to live there?
Terry
In 1966, China, when Mao Zedong couldn't get enough support for the older people, he started "Culture Revolution" and called on young students to get up to rebel their teacher and save China. No doubt that was a very exciting call for most of students. Mao succeeded which caused millions of people's life and its effects may last another 50 years. I love my kids. I have a few teenager friends too. I respect them. But politics which can be very dirty sometimes, it will be too young for a 16-year-old to touch politics. For their sake, for New Zealand sake, can politicians not utilise them for their own purpose?
Relic (Whangarei)
Say what! I just can't believe that Sue Bradford wants to introduce another absolutely stupid bill into parliament and especially one that would give 16--year-olds the right to vote. While you are at it, don't forget that you will need to lower the drinking age to 16 as well, because the teens will complain that, "They are old enough to vote, so they are old enough to drink". Ms Bradford you obviously have a problem with logical thought, put yourself out to pasture before you cause any more damage to society. When are you going to realise that 16-year-olds do not have the maturity to conduct themselves in a fit and responsible manner. My God, why not just dissolve Parliament, disband the Police and let anarchy take control of New Zealand. I just can not believe an elected member of Parliament can be living in her own little world and be divorced from reality. ""MMP (more mad parliamentarians"", we didn't want it but we sure got it. All I can say is roll on election time. (Goodbye reds, goodbye greens, goodbye wallies.)
Barb
Lower it to 12, my son of that age shows far more promise than any of our current politicians. Why does Sue Bradford concentrate on this and other nonsense when there are real issues needing far more urgent attention?
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