I was sitting in ethics class the other day and we were discussing children's rights. There were many scenarios such as "Should children be allowed to drive cars?" and "Should children be able to fight for their country?"

My friend Edwin was discussing if children should be allowed to vote. One of the potential problems that we discussed was whether parents might tell their children how to vote and not let them decide for themselves.

Students attend an ethics class at a primary school in Sydney. Upper House MP Fred Nile is pushing to have the classes, which provide an alternative to religious instruction, removed from public schools. Credit:Wolter Peeters

But then again if children could go to the polls then perhaps Fred Nile, the leader of the Christian Democratic Party in NSW, wouldn't have the power that he has today.