Wollongong high school students launch pre-emptive strike against Howard

September 23, 2004

High school students in Wollongong have launched a “pre-emptive strike” against the Coalition government in “federal election ballots” organised by high school members of the Socialist Alliance on two schools. The ballot results on a third school are still to come in.

The ballots were open to all high school students, as part of a public campaign to have the voting age lowered from 18 to 16 years.

Students on Smith Hill High School voted on Wednesday with more than 200 students taking part. The results were a blow to the Coalition and showed a decided Left bent, with the Greens coming first, followed by Socialist Alliance, then Labor. The Liberals made little impact.

Today, 150 students from Edmund Rice College cast their ballots. Again the victors were the Greens, followed by Socialist Alliance. Results for Woonoona High are still to come in.

Chris Williams, the Socialist Alliance candidate for Cunningham, said, “Secondary students, whose future it is, clearly have no confidence in the Coalition government. They do not support its racist and war-mongering policies.

“The high vote for the Greens and Socialist Alliance shows that they don’t believe the ALP offers much of an alternative either.”

Williams pointed to “Further proof of this in the success of the Green Left Weekly website, which is the top Australian political website amongst young people.”

“These are the voters of the future and the two major parties had better watch out!”, he concluded.

Raffaele Fantasia, a 16 year-old Edmund Rice College student and Socialist Alliance member, said, “We work and pay taxes, but we are denied a say.

“Young people aged 16 and 17 are very concerned about the direction Howard is taking this nation. We don’t support his pro-war and racist policies, and we deserve the right to say so!”

Contact: Chris Williams on 0425 329 963, Raffeale Fantasia on 0427 763 467.

 Email to a friend

add a comment to this page