Media Release 2004: Australia's youth enrol to vote in Rock Enrol initiative

5 March 2004

Winners of the Australian Electoral Commission's Rock Enrol youth enrolment promotion were announced earlier today in an initiative that has seen thousands of Australia's youth enrolling to vote in an election year.

The Rock Enrol promotion was held in conjunction with national youth radio network Triple J, to encourage Australia's youth to have a say in their future by enrolling to vote in the next federal election.

The initiative saw Rock Enrol marquees erected at each of the six Big Day Out concerts across Australia during January and February enabling concert-goers to enrol to vote. A dedicated website hosted by Triple J also gave people the opportunity to download enrolment forms and enter the competition to win one of nine portable DVD players.

Assistant Commissioner, Brien Hallett, said that over 3 500 young people had enrolled to vote for the first time through this initiative.

"The Rock Enrol promotion represents a great opportunity for the Australian Electoral Commission to engage young people," Mr Hallett said.

"While overall most Australians are correctly enrolled, we know that the younger you are, the less likely you are to be correctly enrolled, and this initiative has helped raise awareness among young Australians about the need to be correctly enrolled – it's the only way to have your say."

As part of the Rock Enrol promotion, anyone who enrolled to vote for the first time at any of the Big Day Out concerts or via the Rock Enrol website was entered into a national competition to win one of nine portable DVD players, which closed on 27 February 2004.

The State and Territory winners of the DVD players are:

Leonie Gordon, Turner, ACT	Tait Ischia, Sassafras, VIC
Amanda Porter, Ashby, NSW	Sarah Cullen, Bishops Bridge, NSW
Samantha Norman, Toowoomba, QLD	Jessie Mitchell, Gooseberry Hill, WA
Simon Morse, South Hobart, TAS	Michael Johnson, Alice Springs, NT
Philippa Cocciolone, Adelaide, SA

Further information, contact:
Brien Hallett, Assistant Commissioner
Information, Education and Research
Ph: (02) 6271 4477
Mb: 0413 274 798