“On VEC Mock Election Day we had a member from the Victorian Electoral Commission come in to teach us about government and elections. We had 5 different parties running to compete in a mock election which then resulted in a winning party. Each party first had to come up with campaign strategies and present them to the cohort before the election. We learnt about the VEC and what they do to make sure that everyone is included and can vote, and how important their job is. We also learnt about the history of voting in Australia, looking at how the people have an important say in changing laws and how voting rights have changed for Indigenous people. This experience taught me how important it is that the voices of young people, like us, are heard. It’s important that we have a say in decisions. Another thing I learnt is how an election works and why it is important that everyone votes. My favourite part of the day was seeing the campaign ideas of the different parties and then seeing who won the election. It was really fun taking part in a mock election, which gave us a little insight into the real thing.”
Peter Liptai
8B
