Make a noise and make government listen
Eastern Courier Messenger (South Australia)
13th June 2007
They’re raising their voices and making a big noise all in the name of democracy.Cast members Luke Jacobz, Gillian Alexy and Dustin Clare, from Channel Nine’s McLeod’s Daughters, have teamed up with not-for-profit group Rock the Vote to help educate young people about the power of voting.
“Currently one-in-four young Australians are not enrolled to vote in this country, which is pretty alarming,” Dustin says.
“For our generation to incite change they need to be able to have the power to do it - voting gives us that power.”
Based on a similar group started in the United States, Rock the Vote Australia aims to excite and educate young people about politics and empower them to have a say and influence democracy.
Gillian says there is a lack of support and information around to assist young people in making an informed vote.
“When I was 18 I wasn’t very savvy about politics at all,” she says.
“Young people today are the same - they need information that they can understand and process so that they can make a vote that counts.”
National coordinator Karen Hawke said youths were the leaders of the future.