They say that a week is a long time in politics, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the next five weeks, running up to Federal Election, are going to fly by. And within that time, many of us will have to make up our minds about how we will vote- we will have to make a decision that will impact upon our lives every day for the next three years and then beyond.

Some have accused Generation Y of political inertia. In The Age (18/07) on Sunday, Gretel Killeen claimed that our generation is indifferent to voting, irresponsibly disinterested in the political process and has thus far been incapable of independent thought. Killeen is wrong. Generation Y cares and it cares enough to take action. However, the action that we take does not always resemble that which was taken by the generations that came before us and to some, our use of social media, our awareness campaigns and product boycotts resemble political indifference. Such an interpretation is a mistake- our efforts in this regard are a means of augmenting the traditional political process which in the past has often left us feeling disengaged and disempowered.

Indeed, when it comes to voting for a particular party or political figure, making a decision, let alone the right decision, is difficult task. For many of us, election campaigns are confusing and frustrating. The speculations, promises and accusations often become a cacophony of noise from politicians with whom we find it increasingly difficult to identify. The issues debated by many politicians often appear to be disconnected from the lives of young Australians and the result is that many young Australians feel disengaged from the political process.

In some cases, young people believe that they are not informed enough about politics to meaningfully participate in national debates. This disengagement becomes even more pronounced when we sense that our opinions are neither being heard nor articulated by those in power. Our ambivalence then grows as we see promises brokens or policies that cause us to stand back, jaws agape, as we try to grasp the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the decision making process behind them.

Despite these feelings of frustration and disempowerment, it is important to remember that voting does matter and our votes will have a considerable impact on the outcome of this election. Generation Y now makes up about 20 percent of the voting population in Australia. Other age brackets vote fairly consistently for one major party or the other- It is the youth of Australia that makes up much of the swing vote and our 20 percent is more than enough to decide the election.

Indeed, our generation has and continues to gain political strength, and this is not likely to change in the near future. In 2007 the youth vote was crucial to the ALP gaining government. Because of the growing power of Generation Y, those running for election are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of addressing the concerns of young Australians. Politicians are striving to engage with the youth of Australia and the issues that matter most to us are moving to the forefront of national political debate. The influence that we wield now is something that we should not waste.

We need to seize this opportunity to participate in the national political conversation and to make our voices heard. It’s time to have a proper conversation, one that moves beyond simple slogans and political hyperbole. We need to talk to our representatives, and those who run against them, about the things that matter to us. Equally as importantly, we need to speak to each other.

Rather than engaging with, or ignoring, the same old topics of ‘working families’ and ‘Aussie battlers’, we need to start talking about the issues that impact on our lives. We need to ask questions and demand honest answers about the rising cost of tertiary education, the difficulty of breaking into the job market, youth underemployment, youth homelessness and the impact of mental illness on young Australians. We need to discuss how we can ensure that Australia remains a country of justice, freedom and equality. And we need to seek out politicians who articulate our concerns about the future- issues such as climate change, an aging population, changing technology, resource scarcity and sustainability- and who offer workable solutions.

Over the next five weeks we will hear arguments from both the major and minor parties and we will be asked to make an important choice. We will be asked to help decide the future of our country. We cannot do this without seriously considering the options before us and, where possible, using our influence to shape policies that are responsive to our needs.

To that end, we should play a part in that debate and be certain our opinions heard. We need to make up our minds about the issues that matter to us. We need to formulate our choices wisely because the decisions we make on Election Day will affect us far into the future. By seeking answers and making informed decisions, we can cast our vote on August 21st with confidence, knowing that we have had, and will continue to have, a real say in the future of our nation.