Ethan Reille has been selected as the Labour Party candidate in Waitaki for the 2023 general election.
Last year, he was in school corridors. By the end of the year he could be in the corridors of power.
Ethan Reille,18, has been confirmed as the Labour Party’s candidate for Waitaki for the general election.
If he wins he will be the youngest ever member of Parliament.
It was “definitely an honour” to be chosen, he said.
“I’m really passionate and looking forward to getting stuck in and continuing to work with the community as I have been the last few years,” he said.
“I will be proud to represent Waitaki in Parliament and be a strong, local and present voice for all Waitakians.”
If elected, Reille, who turns 19 in July, would be the youngest politician in New Zealand’s parliamentary history.
James Stuart-Wortley was 20 years and 7 months old when he was elected 170 years ago.
William Wood, aged 17, unsuccessfully stood for the National Party in the seat of Palmerston North in 2020.
Reille only voted for the first time six months ago in the local body elections.
His age would not deter him from being a strong voice for the electorate, he said.
“I’ve shown I’ve got what it takes to represent our community and to be a strong advocate for the issues that are facing us directly.”
It is becoming increasingly common for younger people to be elected into positions of power.
“We’re in a time now where we’ve got one of our youngest councils we’ve ever had in our district here in Waitaki. And the median age for our parliamentarians has dropped drastically down to 47,” Reille said.
While he is young, he does have plenty of experience when it comes to local politics.
Reille works in community development support at the Waitaki District Council and has been a representative on the Stronger Waitaki stewardship group.
He was also chairman of the Waitaki District Youth Council, was head boy at Waitaki Boys’ High School last year and a Youth MP for Rachel Brooking.
His passion for the local community was a driving factor in his decision to run for Parliament.
“Waitaki is my home and always will be — it has made me the person that I am today,” Reille said.
“I’ll work tirelessly to advocate for this large community and its people.”
National will stand Southburn farmer Miles Anderson as its Waitaki candidate, with sitting National MP Jacqui Dean retiring.
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