Sean Topham to step down as Young Nats President

Sean Topham will step down as the Young Nats President at the Young Nats’ annual conference in Auckland on Sunday.

“We’re the best we’ve ever been in our almost 80 year existence” said Sean Topham.

With 1,200 members and 6,000 supporters – a 300% increase in three years Young Nats are New Zealand’s largest and fastest growing political youth movement.

“When our team took over the leadership of the Young Nats we pledged to make our voice strong by growing our resources, developing activism and re-communicating our vision to young Kiwis and we have achieved just that” said Topham.

Young Nats were on the frontline of National’s successful re-election last year, with hundreds of volunteers putting in over 10,000 hours across the country.

In the last three years the Young Nats’ presence on social media has exploded. It is now the largest youth political wing on Facebook in New Zealand with nearly 20,000 likes and reached 3.6 million people during the final week of the 2014 election.

“I’m proud that we led the way on issues young people actually care about, like securing marriage equality, keeping the alcohol purchase age at 18 and successfully lobbying for the Youth Mental Health package."

Young Nats have also been re-established as the most effective advocate for students in its campaign for medical students to receive better support for critical postgraduate study, and pushing for Studylink to be overhauled by engaging with student concerns.

“In the last three years the Young Nats have been fundamentally transformed into New Zealand’s largest most relevant political youth organisation in New Zealand with no sign of slowing down” said Topham.

Vice President Shaun Wallis, Treasurer Sam MacDonald, Policy Chair Nick Cross, and Secretary Adam Roland will also step down on Sunday.

ENDS

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