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The
case, which has been going through the courts since 2020, was
bought by advocacy group Make It 16, which wants the age lowered
to include 16 and 17 year olds.
The Supreme Court found that the current voting age of 18 was
inconsistent with the country's Bill of Rights, which gives
people a right to be free from age discrimination when they have
reached 16.
The decision triggers a process in which the issue must come
before parliament for discussion and be reviewed by a
parliamentary select committee. But it does not force parliament
to change the voting age.
"This is history," said Make It 16 co-director Caeden Tipler,
adding: "The government and parliament cannot ignore such a
clear legal and moral message. They must let us vote."
The group says on its website there is insufficient
justification to stop 16 year olds from voting when they can
drive, work full time and pay tax.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the government
would draft legislation to reduce the age to 16, which could
then be put to a vote in parliament.
"I personally support a decrease in the voting age but it is not
a matter simply for me or even the government, any change in
electoral law of this nature requires 75% of parliamentarian
support," she said.
Political parties have mixed views on the subject. The Green
Party wants immediate action to lower the voting age to 16, but
the largest opposition party, the National party, does not
support the shift.
"Obviously, we've got to draw a line somewhere," said National
party leader Christopher Luxon. "We're comfortable with the line
being 18. Lots of different countries have different places
where the line's drawn and from our point of view, 18's just
fine."
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Bradley Perrett & Shri
Navaratnam)
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