If Australia has compulsory voting, why are over 628,000 people missing from the electoral roll?

And because politicians don't speak to their concerns young people feel ignored and so don't register to vote. And young people prefer direct participation campaigns via social media and the internet.

But ultimately, only young people and the political parties ensure more young people are enrolled to vote. Young people would be a potent electoral force in a way that Generation X never was because there are so many more Gen Y's.

But also the onus should be on political parties to speak to the concerns of all Australians, not just older Australians whose life circumstances have been blessed by economic sunshine.

Indeed, many voters (of all ages) often don't understand what a potent force they really are. Do you want to understand the importance of political engagement? To understand this, look at the boomers. In the '80s the election of the Hawke Government was partly due to changing demographic trends. A driving force behind the electoral change was the then youthful boomers.

Long after the '80s became fodder for the history books, the boomers have remained a potent electoral force. This potency can be seen from government spending patterns. Of all the age groups, people over 65 command a much higher level of government spending. By contrast, the group with the thinnest slice of government spending is Generation X (1966-1980).

Renters who have fallen off the electoral roll

A third group who is also a largely invisible group of non-voters: renters. Renters receive little notification from landlords before being asked to move. In NSW, the regular period is 21-days. And amid the busy lifestyles, competing priorities – it's not hard to see why they often forget to get back on the electoral roll.

Moreover, some people still return their forms in the post, so it takes time for the electoral commission to update their details. And by the time the election is announced it is only a matter of days until the rolls are closed and people are barred from updating their details. The fastest way to register or get registered is by changing or updating your details online.

Indigenous Australians

Although Indigenous Australian's have had the right to vote for many decades, they continue to have a low voter participation rate. Figures from the 2016 Federal election suggest that as few as 58% of indigenous Australian's vote. Though some sources suggest this figure is overly generous and that the real number is closer to 50% voter registration for indigenous people.

To increase this and to make politicians more responsive to the needs of Indigenous people requires a mass voter recruitment drive. The best way to do this is via a process of automatic registration. Otherwise, Australian politician's, mining companies and other interest groups will continue to pay lip service or ride roughshod over Indigenous rights.

Homeless people who have fallen off the electoral roll