The Young Nationals is the youth division of the National Party of Australia, with membership open to those between 15 and 35 years of age. Young Nationals also have full party membership, and partake in state and federal conferences with equal rights to members of the senior party. They are active in National Party campaigning during all state and federal elections. It was first formed in Queensland in 1957, with other states following in subsequent years.
The movement is predominantly organised on the state division level, with each state organising its own events and policy as well as electing its own executive. In 2007 the Queensland Division of the Liberal Party of Australia and the Queensland National Party merged to become the Liberal National Party of Queensland (A division of the Federal Liberal Party and an affiliate of the Federal National Party). As part of this merger process, the Queensland Young Liberals and the Queensland Young Nationals were merged to become the Young Liberal National Party (Young LNP). The Young LNP is effectively the Queensland division of both the federal Young Liberals and the federal Young Nationals, and is the largest division of each of these movements. The federal executive of the Young Nationals comprises members elected from delegations from each affiliated state Young Nationals organisation, and the President of each affiliate. Policy can also be adopted by the movement's federal body. These policies are often then advocated by the Federal Young Nationals on the floor of the Federal Council of the National Party of Australia, as well as in representations made directly to members of parliament.
Political impact
Since the mid-2000s, the Young Nationals have had an increasingly significant impact on National Party policy development and campaign efforts. The Young Nationals notably changed the party platform to oppose any form of mandatory ISP-level internet censorship in 2010 and have also expressed strong federalist sentiments, having spearheaded a push to abolish the national curriculum. In 2015 the NSW division of the Young Nationals also voted on a motion to support same-sex marriage and free votes on the issue. The movement has also been one of the stronger elements in the National Party that has expressed support for voluntary student unionism (VSU), eventually persuading Senator Fiona Nash to ditch the parliamentary party's opposition to VSU.
Current federal executive Position Office-bearer State President Charlie Plant Queensland (LNP) Vice-President Emma Baillie Northern Territory (CLP) Secretary Nick McCann New South Wales Treasurer Mia Geddes New South Wales Policy Officer Perrin Rennie South Australia Campaigns Officer Filomena Peoples New South Wales Universities Officer Leo Nash Queensland Publicity Officer Sebastian Padget Queensland (LNP) Immediate Past President Angus Webber New South Wales New South Wales Chair Samuel Barry Victorian President Callum Moscript Northern Territory President (CLP)Alicia Wilson Queensland President (LNP) Josie Drum South Australian President Ryan Jellesma Western Australian President Bronwyn Eatts
Past presidents
Ordinal Year President State Notes 1968 The Hon. Mike Ahern Queensland Subsequently the Member for Landsborough and Premier of Queensland 1975–1976 Gary Pike Queensland 1976–1977 Garry West New South Wales Subsequently the Member for Orange and Minister in the Greiner and Fahey coalition governments 1977–1979 The Hon. Pat McNamara Victoria Subsequently the Member for Benalla and Deputy Premier of Victoria in the Kennett coalition government 1979–1981 Michael Behan Queensland 1981–1983 Nigel Smith New South Wales 1983–1985 Gerard WalshQueensland 1985–1987 Julian Anderson Queensland 1987–1988 Judy Brewer Victoria Nationals candidate for the seat of Benambra in the 1988 Victorian State election. Later the wife of former Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Tim Fischer and appointed Life Member of the Young National Party of Australia in 1994. 1988–1989 Aldo Borgu Queensland 1989–1991 Angus Calder New South Wales 1991-1993 Duncan Anderson Western Australia 1993-1994 Daniel Kelliher Victoria 1994–1996 Meredith Dickie Victoria Later the State Director of the Victorian Nationals 2002-2005 1996–1997 Donald Burnett Queensland 1997–1998 Douglas Doyle New South Wales 1998–1999 Robert Macaulay New South Wales 1999–2000 Stuart Copeland Queensland Subsequently the Member for Cunningham and State Director of the Victorian National Party 2001–2002 Scott Mitchell Victoria Subsequently the Federal Director of the National Party 2002–2004 Tim Dixon New South Wales 2004–2006 Chris Kahler Queensland 2006–2008 Damian Callachor New South Wales Subsequently the Chief of Staff to Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack 2008–2009 The Hon. Martin Aldridge MLC Western Australia Subsequently a Member for the Agricultural region 2009–2011 The Hon. Sarah Mitchell MLC New South Wales Subsequently a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council and Minister in the Berejiklian coalition government 2011–2014 Cr Cameron O'Neil Queensland Subsequently Vice President of the LNP and elected to the Maranoa Regional Council 2014–2018Ruby CameronVictoria Nationals Candidate for Western Victoria Region in the 2010 Victorian State Election 2018–2019Daniel BanksNorthern Territory 2019–2022Alessia MarucaQueensland292022-2025Angus WebberNew South Wales302025-Charlie PlantQueensland
Criticism and Controversy
Whilst serving as NSW Young Nationals chairman, Jessica Price-Purnell and two other NSW Young Nationals staffers reportedly embarked on an 'emotional' rampage inflicting substantial damage on the party's Orange campaign office during the 2016 Orange state by-election, which included a hole being punctured in the wall, with party state director Nathan Quigley expressing concern for the mental health of the three women, all of whom admitted responsibility for the vandalism and paid compensation for the damage.
In 2018, it was revealed that the NSW Young Nationals had been infiltrated by a number of neo-Nazis and other far-right extremists. Senior Party figures, including Federal Leader Michael McCormack denounced these attempts, stating that "The Nationals will not tolerate extremism or the politics of hate. People found to engage with such radicalism are not welcome in our party". The leader of the NSW Nationals, John Barilaro, also denounced racism and fascism within the party.
As a result of these revelations, the NSW National Party terminated the memberships of 19 members. The expelled members were found to have held links to a number of far-right organisations including the New Guard (not to be confused with the New Guard of the 1930s), the Lads Society, Antipodean Resistance, Squadron 88, and the Dingoes.
References
External links Young Nationals Queensland Division National Party of Australia