Newstead College students Q&A: What first-time voters have to say before the upcoming election

They will join many others their age who are voting for the first time in the upcoming state election on March 23.

Examiner journalist Annika Rhoades sat down with Newstead College students Freya Hall, Danielle Smith and Aaron Styles to discuss their opinions and concerns regarding local - and even global - politics.

Why do you think voting is important?

Danielle: Almost all political decisions affect everybody. So everybody should put their opinion towards it, so it's like a majority agreement on things.

Freya: Everyone's got to have their input even if they don't have the 'right' type of education. Because if they didn't, there'd just be a mass overload of people who are obsessed with politics and they would turn it into their party.

Aaron: I believe it's a way where all Australians can have their say in what happens with their future. It stops the government from having more control over us than we have over the government.

What are some issues that you think concern you personally?

Freya: The cost of living crisis right now, I think, because it's getting pretty bad. Not with just groceries but also houses and renting, for me personally.

Danielle: Probably the healthcare system. It just worries me because everybody's talking about it, but no one's talking about any solutions. It's just this big issue that's all to do with money.

Aaron: I think I'm the same with the cost of goods. I find it a bit concerning how prices are rising everywhere now. People who used to be able to buy a house, they can't afford anything like that anymore. Houses where I live have gone up to about $1 million to buy.

How invested or involved would you say you are in local, or even global, politics?

Freya: I'm more so concerned with global issues, not so much just Australian. I should focus more on Australia, but I really don't.

Daniell: I don't really look at it until it actually affects me, which is probably really bad. But until it's in my home area or I notice the change or difference, it just doesn't register.

Aaron: I feel like there's a lot bigger issues happening in other parts of the world right now, whilst Australia's issues are...the prices are going up, we can't really afford things or Medicare, but there's bigger issues. There are wars going on.

Who do you go to if you need political advice?

Freya: Probably my parents, and sometimes social media.

Danielle: I speak to my work colleagues a lot because they're all adults and they've got heaps of different perspectives. What benefits them working and things like that.

Aaron: I always prioritise the input from my mother before anybody else. But then, I'll also talk to my mates about it, try to get a bunch of different points of view on stuff, see what their perspective of everything is about.

Is politics something you chat about with your friends?

Aaron: When it does come up, it's mostly to do with how we're not really prepared for it. We spend our lives not having to worry about politics, we've had parents do all this stuff for us, more or less. But now we're kind of...it's kind of like a wake up call to the idea that we're stepping into a bigger reality now. We're part of a bigger society.

Freya: Kind of realising that you're an adult now and you've got to have those opinions.

Danielle: It's like...you get told to vote, now that your opinion is relevant.

Any political views shared in this article are the interviewee's own and not those of Newstead College.