Announcing Student Voice 2010 results

Australia’s next generation of voters have spoken in Student Voice 2010 - and have elected the Gillard Labor government to be returned to power for another term. It was a close call however. Labor won by three seats and the Coalition won the popular vote with the highest share of individual votes amongst the 5000 15-17 year-old Australian students who took part.

Of the 72 electorates across Australia where the student vote was captured, Labor won 28 lower house seats, the Coalition 25 seats, the Greens 15 seats, with Christian Democrat Party, Independent, Family First and One Nation all winning one seat each. The ALP was strongest in NSW and Victoria where it won 21 out of 28 seats, while the Coalition took 15 of the 25 seats in the resource-rich states of Queensland and Western Australia, including the marginal seat of Hasluck with the Liberal candidate gaining 56% of votes.

The Greens were strongest in Victoria and stormed into retiring Labor MP Lindsay Tanner’s seat of Melbourne - winning more than half the student votes in that electorate.

In the Senate, there was a big swing to the Greens, with Australian students voting for 16 Green Senators, matching the ALP, and only marginally behind that of the Coalition.

Google developed Student Voice as an education opportunity for young Australians to experience a fundamental democratic process, vote and make their voice heard. We adopted standards and processes from the Australian Electoral Commission to ensure that the experience was as real as possible. More than five thousand school students voted for lower and upper house candidates via online ballot in classrooms, playgrounds and libraries. You can see a more detailed breakdown of results here at google.com.au/studentvoice2010.

The next generation of voters will go online to find political information, contact government and vote. Student Voice 2010 is an exercise in democracy and we hope it inspires students to engage and make their voices heard. Here are some fun snaps which schools sent through.

Ignatius Park College, Townsville

Westminister School, South Australia

Posted by Alan Noble, Engineering Director Google Australia and New Zealand

Young Australians - vote and make your voice heard!

For the first time ever young Australians have the opportunity to vote in a simulated federal election and have their opinions heard. Today Google announced Student Voice 2010 - the federal election as voted for by under-18s.

We’re inviting 15 - 17 year-old students across Australia to vote in a simulated online federal election between 9 - 12 August. We’ve adopted standards and processes from the Australian Electoral Commission to make this as real an experience as possible.

We hope that this will be an exciting opportunity to educate young Australians about a fundamental democratic process and unveil to politicians the voice of the next generation.

Young Australians, all parties are keen for you to be involved, to get your vote and hear your voice! Here is a YouTube address from Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Leader of the Greens Senator Bob Brown.





Also launched today by Aussie Googlers in their 20% time, google.com.au/election2010, to connect Australians with information about the election, parties, and political issues. You can explore electoral information on a Google Map and access up-to-date insights and search trends on the hot political topics that Australians are searching for in the lead up to the election.

Happy Voting!

Posted by Alan Noble, Engineering Director, Google Australia

From across the ditch: YouTube and the NZ election

Last night, more than one million New Zealanders watched the groundbreaking ONE News YouTube Election Debate when it aired on New Zealand's TV1 last night.

New Zealanders got their first chance to see current leaders battle it out head-to-head in their first debate leading up to the November 8 poll.

The ONE News YouTube debate enabled New Zealanders to put their questions to the two party leaders, Prime Minister Helen Clark and Opposition Leader John Key, in the leadup to the 2008 New Zealand election. What made this debate particularly special was that New Zealand citizens were called upon to ask the questions via YouTube and they did so enthusiastically, submitting over 100 questions. The debate marked the first time a head of a national government and the challenger for the top job have appeared in an official live televised debate answering questions posted as video questions through YouTube.

The full-length debate is now accessible worldwide through the YouTube debate homepage. Expat Kiwis can keep up with the New Zealand election happenings with our iGoogle gadget.

13 New Zealanders had their questions put to the candidates during last night's debate, including:

• 16-year-old Carmen McDougal from Pukekohe, who asked what will the parties do to help low and middle-income families to get through the recession.
• Ex-pat Kiwi Adrian Parker, who asked from London what the parties would do to reduce tax rates to bring them in line with Australia and the UK.
• Amberley resident Mike Jowsey, who questioned if climate change was for real and if so, who was causing it.
• Praveen from Auckland, who asked what plans there are to ensure shopkeepers are able to protect themselves from violent crime.

Last night was just one example of how YouTube and online video are changing politics around the world. In the 2007 Australian election, the main Australian political parties all established YouTube channels to engage with voters. Since then, Victorian Premier John Brumby has set up an official YouTube channel and many more of our leaders and politicians are realising the importance of online video and direct engagement.

Posted by Julian Sonego