Woman turning 21 receives mysterious letter in the mail from a local politician: ‘Does anyone else think this is weird?’
A baffled young woman has turned to the internet for answers after she received a letter from her local MP celebrating her 21st birthday.
The woman wasn’t sure what to think when she received an unexpected birthday card from Colin Boyce, the Coalition MP for the federal seat of Flynn in central Queensland.
She received it in the mail this week – just days out from Saturday’s federal election.
‘Does anyone else think this is weird? Received this the day before my 21st, no one else I know has seen or heard of this,’ the woman posted on Reddit.
The signed card read: ‘Happy Birthday. Congratulations on your 21st birthday. Turning 21 has always been a significant event for young Australians as much for what it recognises as for what it expects.
‘I am confident that this milestone will be the continuance of a life well and truly lived.’
The post was inundated with possible explanations.
‘Every MP has access to the electoral roll (and therefore all their constituents dates of birth). Some send out birthday cards on special occasions,’ one commented.
The young constituent was left baffled by an unexpected birthday card (pictured)
The card was sent by federal Flynn MP Colin Boyce (pictured with his wife Terri)
‘Although if I remember my local member sent me a letter that tried to get me to vote for them.
‘This seems more like a nice gesture than that letter.’
Nationals MP Mr Boyce is seeking to be re-elected for a second term in Canberra, having previously served as a local state MP.
Other Aussies who commented on the woman’s Reddit post recalled receiving similar cards from their local MP on milestone birthdays.
Another Queenslander shared a photo of a personalised 30th birthday card they received from federal Longman MP Terry Young.
The handwritten card congratulated the recipient on ‘reaching this milestone on this journey we call life’.
Mr Young praised the ‘greatest area, in the greatest country on earth’, before wishing their constituent all the best for the future.
The card also came with a factsheet about 1991 – the recipient’s birth year.
Mr Boyce (pictured with fellow Coalition MP Jacinta Price) sent the birthday card just days out from the federal election
The average price of a postage stamp, notable international and Australian events, and the country’s top selling car were among the facts listed.
Another added: ‘I got a handwritten one from Terry for my 21st (so did my sister) and for our 18ths we both got printed letters with stats about our birth years.’
A third commented: ‘I’ve gotten something similar from my local member. It was a fact sheet that had a ton of fun facts about my birth year. Was honestly interesting.’
Others assured the woman it was a common thing.
‘My dad got one from his MP for his 80th. Kind of a regular thing I gathered,’ one wrote.
Several recalled receiving a 21st birthday card from their local MP – Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
‘Turning 21 has always been a significant event for young Australians as much for what it recognises as for what it expect,’ Colin Boyce wrote
But some questioned Mr Boyce’s intentions.
‘Why can’t MPs do something useful, rather than spending tax collected on junk mail?’ one wrote.
Another added: ‘Seems a total waste of money to me.’
A third sarcastically wrote: ‘Lucky for you, your birthday was during an election. After the election, you’ll get nothing.’
