'It's about our future': 18-year-old announces run for Hastings District Council

18-year-old Oliver Taylor wants to be a voice for youth and the LGBTQ+ community. Photo / Supplied

An 18-year-old running for Hastings District Council says young people need to be involved in decision making.

Oliver Taylor, from Clive, says he wants to be a voice for both young people and the LGBTQ+ community, groups he feel are currently not adequately represented in the council.

"I know we have the youth council, but in general, when it comes to making the big decisions in council, I feel that youth and LGBTQ+ are not being as well represented as they could be."

Taylor is not the only young person standing in this year's local government elections across the country, with multiple people under the age of 25 having announced their candidacy.

He said he thinks young people have been inspired to stand for office this year due to people like Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick and US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

"It's about our future, more than anything else, and the decisions that are made now are going to affect us far into the future.

"So we might as well be making those decisions.

"We need to change the idea of who can be an elected official."

The former Havelock North High School student said he wants to help restore public consultation with both iwi and other residents after the Craggy Range track debacle, where iwi were not adequately consulted before the track was built.

He also has a strong environmental focus, saying decisions made also have to consider impact on future generations not just the here and now.

Taylor will run in the Heretaunga ward, which covers townships surrounding Hastings such as Clive, Haumoana, Te Awanga, Whakatu and Fernhill.