He was a member of the National Party, and served as a Cabinet Minister in the government of Robert Muldoon.
[2] In the 1966 election, Young stood as the National Party's candidate for the Egmont electorate, and was successful.
The proposed age of consent was twenty-one, and although this was later reduced to twenty by a select committee, a number of homosexual lobbyists criticised it on this count.
[4] Despite having alienated many of his party colleagues, Young entered Cabinet when National won the 1975 election.
Robert Muldoon, the new Prime Minister, appointed Young to the Lands, Forests, and Environment portfolios, which he held for two parliamentary terms from December 1975 to 1981.