In Australia, lowering the voting age has long been the aspiration of those who would benefit from it. For years, the Greens have supported extending the franchise, and during the Bill Shorten years, Labor did too.

Following British prime minister Keir Starmer’s commitment to give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote, Australian independent MP Monique Ryan has pledged to introduce a private member’s bill on the topic, to let young people “have a say on those things that really matter to them”.