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Young New Zealand First
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Young New Zealand First
Young New Zealand First (shortened to Young NZ First) is the youth wing and student wing of the New Zealand First party. It was formally incorporated into the party in 2015.
According to The Spinoff, Young NZ First was founded in 2010. However, the Dominion Post reported in 2009 on a youth branch of NZ First being created by Tim Manu, a NZ First member, city councillor, and part-time music teacher. Manu said he had been frustrated while a student to see National and Labour groups on campus but no group for NZ First.
It appears that the formation of Young NZ First was driven by the party's leader, Winston Peters. Initial members were reportedly generally left-wing, which contrasted to NZ First's overall centrism. Early membership figures are not clear; a former member reports around a dozen members, while another stated that as of 2012 it had 60 members and multiple branches. The presence of a youth wing allowed NZ First to counteract its image of a party of older members, such as John Key's comments that NZ First supporters were "dying out".
The nascent youth wing had influence over the main party during the 2011 election campaign, with one member taking roles such as being on electoral committees, a campaign manager for a candidate, and an informal media adviser. The youth wing apparently influenced the party to promise to forgive student debt to graduates who remained in New Zealand for five years, and to reduce use of anti-immigration and "race-baiting rhetoric" that had been used in previous campaigns.
A key early figure in the organisation was Curwen Rolinson, who was elected to the party's board of directors at age 20, became the public face of Young NZ First, and had a close relationship with the party's leader, Winston Peters. However, in 2015, Rolinson (aged 25) resigned, having developed a fractious relationship with the party's leadership. Rolinson continued to write a blog called "NZ First Youth" and was associated with NZ First members but was not connected with the party or the youth wing.
Young New Zealand First was formally incorporated into the NZ First party structure in 2015. This incorporation was the subject of controversy within the party. Young NZ First had repeatedly attempted to formalise its relationship with the party without success. This led to problems when Rolinson was cited by media as being the leader of the NZ First youth wing, despite such a thing not officially existing. In 2015, Winston Peters released a statement that the NZ First youth wing did not exist and that Rolinson had been "told countless times never to call himself the president or leader of a youth wing." Despite this, Young New Zealand First formally became part of the party, with a role set by the party's constitution, after a remit passed at the party's 2015 convention.
Today, New Zealand First has a permanent position on its board assigned to be filled by a member of Young NZ First. However, Young New Zealand First members who join the party itself are a separate membership category. Board member Julie Carr said in 2019 that this is "because they are inexperienced with political matters and need to be guided and mentored in their role".
In late July 2026, Young NZ First claimed to have tripled its membership in the past 18 months, which it attributed to a face-to-face grassroots campaign and a sense of camaraderie. According to Newsroom, its members claimed that other parties lacked the creativity or courage to "try something new" without copying overseas movements.
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Young New Zealand First
Young New Zealand First (shortened to Young NZ First) is the youth wing and student wing of the New Zealand First party. It was formally incorporated into the party in 2015.
According to The Spinoff, Young NZ First was founded in 2010. However, the Dominion Post reported in 2009 on a youth branch of NZ First being created by Tim Manu, a NZ First member, city councillor, and part-time music teacher. Manu said he had been frustrated while a student to see National and Labour groups on campus but no group for NZ First.
It appears that the formation of Young NZ First was driven by the party's leader, Winston Peters. Initial members were reportedly generally left-wing, which contrasted to NZ First's overall centrism. Early membership figures are not clear; a former member reports around a dozen members, while another stated that as of 2012 it had 60 members and multiple branches. The presence of a youth wing allowed NZ First to counteract its image of a party of older members, such as John Key's comments that NZ First supporters were "dying out".
The nascent youth wing had influence over the main party during the 2011 election campaign, with one member taking roles such as being on electoral committees, a campaign manager for a candidate, and an informal media adviser. The youth wing apparently influenced the party to promise to forgive student debt to graduates who remained in New Zealand for five years, and to reduce use of anti-immigration and "race-baiting rhetoric" that had been used in previous campaigns.
A key early figure in the organisation was Curwen Rolinson, who was elected to the party's board of directors at age 20, became the public face of Young NZ First, and had a close relationship with the party's leader, Winston Peters. However, in 2015, Rolinson (aged 25) resigned, having developed a fractious relationship with the party's leadership. Rolinson continued to write a blog called "NZ First Youth" and was associated with NZ First members but was not connected with the party or the youth wing.
Young New Zealand First was formally incorporated into the NZ First party structure in 2015. This incorporation was the subject of controversy within the party. Young NZ First had repeatedly attempted to formalise its relationship with the party without success. This led to problems when Rolinson was cited by media as being the leader of the NZ First youth wing, despite such a thing not officially existing. In 2015, Winston Peters released a statement that the NZ First youth wing did not exist and that Rolinson had been "told countless times never to call himself the president or leader of a youth wing." Despite this, Young New Zealand First formally became part of the party, with a role set by the party's constitution, after a remit passed at the party's 2015 convention.
Today, New Zealand First has a permanent position on its board assigned to be filled by a member of Young NZ First. However, Young New Zealand First members who join the party itself are a separate membership category. Board member Julie Carr said in 2019 that this is "because they are inexperienced with political matters and need to be guided and mentored in their role".
In late July 2026, Young NZ First claimed to have tripled its membership in the past 18 months, which it attributed to a face-to-face grassroots campaign and a sense of camaraderie. According to Newsroom, its members claimed that other parties lacked the creativity or courage to "try something new" without copying overseas movements.