Research has found that many young Australians
wouldn't vote if they didn't have to.
Image: iStockphoto

Young Australians are a potent but often misunderstood political force - more likely to exercise their democratic voice by blogging or taking part in a protest rally, than enrolling to vote or joining a political party, according to Director of the Whitlam Institute at the University of Western Sydney, Mr Eric Sidoti.

Mr Sidoti is leading a research project by the Whitlam Institute called "Young People Imagining a New Democracy", which is investigating how young people engage with the democratic process in Australia.

The first phase of the project, being launched today, is a comprehensive literature review of international and Australian research into how young people engage in political life and participate in democracy.

Mr Sidoti says the review - which was commissioned by the Whitlam Institute and carried out by Philippa Collin, Policy Manager at the Inspire Foundation - gives a profound insight into what we do and don't know about young people's democratic participation.

"Philippa Colin's review shows young Australians are anything but apathetic. They are strongly engaged with political issues and social causes such as the environment, poverty, health and an Australian republic," says Mr Sidoti.

"However, they feel alienated and marginalised by old, formal, institutionalised politics."

"The review finds that for young people, there's been a generational shift in Australian politics. The research shows it's no longer about political loyalties, it's about political choice," Mr Sidoti says.

"Young Australians are distrustful of politicians and they are not content to accept the hierarchies in traditional institutions of democracy. They prefer to engage in grassroots campaigns and cause-based activities, where they feel like they can make a difference."

The Whitlam Institute project, which will include a national forum in September, will produce a policy discussion paper later in 2008. The project is being carried out with the UWS Office of Engagement and is supported by the Foundation for Young Australians.

The main observations from the literature review include:

• Young people will vote because they have to, but they do not see the efficacy of voting.
• High numbers of young people state they would not enrol or vote all the time, if it were not compulsory.
• Issues such as lack of permanent housing impact on young peoples' electoral enrolment and participation.
• Few young people are mobilised to join unions and ever fewer are members of political parties.
• Young people are interested in political issues and are engaged in a wide range of new participatory activities, particularly when they can see tangible outcomes for their efforts.
• Gender, class and ethnicity have an impact on young people's participation.

Mr Sidoti says the Whitlam Institute's interest in exploring the issue of young people and democracy was prompted originally by fact that only 84 per cent of 17-25 year olds - including 73 per cent of 18 year olds - were registered to vote as of 2004.

At the time of the 2007 election, there appeared to have been little lift in these numbers.

"The underlying attitudes of young people are important for policy makers as they look to the future," he says.

"More importantly, young Australians will be critical in shaping our democracy and our democratic institutions."

Mr Sidoti suggests that participation is the key to re-engaging young people.

"Civic education - which has been the dominant policy response to dwindling rates of youth participation for some years - is not the answer," he says.

"The research shows that civic education programs and experiences where young people have little or no control over the process or outcomes can be counter productive.

"What we've seen from this literature review is that there are gaps in the research. There are no specific studies on what young people would like democracy to look like. There is little, if any, research assessing the impact of young people's political activities.

"We hope the Whitlam Institute's "Young People Imaging a New Democracy" project helps fill that void, and helps us form a clear picture of just what kind of democracy young Australians want."

Download a copy of the literature review.