Introductory Meetups

We're in the early stages of building our movement. Introductory meetups and networking events are being planned across the Central Coast and Hunter regions.

Stay tuned for announcements on our first events, including:

• Welcome and networking sessions
• Leadership and public speaking workshops
• Policy discussion forums
• Community engagement activities

Want to be the first to know about upcoming events?

Join CYA

University-Based Clubs

CYA supports the creation of university-based clubs to bring civic engagement directly to campuses across New South Wales. These clubs will:

• Encourage greater youth participation in civic dialogue
• Provide on-campus opportunities for debate, policy discussion, and networking
• Build long-term engagement pathways for young Australians

Regional Branches

As CYA grows, local branches will be established with:

• Elected leadership teams
• Statewide coordination between branch representatives
• Regular events, workshops, and forums

Start a Club

Interested in starting a CYA club at your university or in your local area? Get in touch and we'll help you get started.

Express Interest

Chairman's Report — 29 May 2026

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Let’s Define Conservative

In a time when the term “conservative” carries differing interpretations, it merits closer examination.

Conservative (noun and adjective)

The word conservative derives from the Latin “conservare”, meaning “to preserve,” “to protect,” or “to keep intact.” Its original sense concerns preservation rather than resistance to change.

A conservative is a person who believes that the accumulated wisdom of experience deserves respect, that institutions should not be changed lightly, and that progress is most durable when it builds upon what already works.

A traditional conservative asks:
“How do we preserve the house?”

A radical conservative asks:
“What is threatening the house, and what must be done to stop it?”

For example, if termites are discovered in a home’s foundations, a naïve observer may assume that the termites and the house can coexist. The radical conservative rejects that assumption. If the termites continue to consume the structure, the house will eventually collapse. Therefore, preserving the house requires removing the source of the damage.

The goal is not destruction.
The goal is conservation.

The radical element lies in the willingness to eliminate the cause of decay, rather than manage or coexist with it. In this sense, radical conservatism is not defined by what it seeks to destroy, but by what it seeks to preserve.

Yet a further question must sometimes be asked: Is the house itself still worth preserving?

If the damage becomes too extensive for repair, the objective remains conservation—not of the damaged structure, but of the principles that justified its construction. A house may be rebuilt. Its foundations may be strengthened. Its design may be improved. And if the lessons of the past are carried forward, the new structure can be made more resilient than the one before it.

The purpose is not to preserve every feature exactly as it is. It is to preserve what is valuable, protect what is essential, and ensure that each generation passes on something stronger than what it received.

A genuine environmental ethic is, in this sense, inherently conservative: it seeks to preserve natural systems rather than exhaust them. The distinction is often not between caring and not caring, but between stewardship and exploitation under the language of stewardship.

Scrutiny is necessary to understand this difference. Preservation requires people who value what they seek to protect, understand it, defend it with reason, and remain open to debate.

As Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us, justice is not an isolated principle but a shared condition:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

A society, therefore, cannot preserve its integrity if it allows its foundations to fracture in principle. Preservation depends not only on structures, but on the moral coherence that sustains them.

In this sense, conservatism is not the rejection of change, but the disciplined effort to ensure that change does not destroy what is essential.

Central Coast Conservative Alliance

CYA is a sub-association of the Central Coast Conservative Alliance. Visit their website for more information about conservative advocacy on the Central Coast.

Working with Children Check — Service NSW

Required for all CYA leaders working with participants under 18.

NSW Police Check

Required for all CYA leaders.

NSW Parliament

Australian Parliament

Membership Form

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In completing this Membership Form I am applying to be a Member of Concerned Young Australians (CYA) and agree to abide by the Rules and Regulations of the CYA Handbook of Membership.

Membership Fees

Questions? Contact us at [email protected]

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Concerned Young Australians (CYA), a sub-association of the Central Coast Conservative Alliance (ABN 71 512 124 258), is committed to protecting the privacy of its members, supporters, and website visitors in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

Information We Collect

We may collect the following personal information when you join CYA, register for events, or contact us:

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Date of birth or age range
• Postal address
• Membership type and payment details

How We Use Your Information

All personal information collected is used solely for the purpose of promoting and communicating Concerned Young Australians (CYA) matters, including:

• Processing and managing your CYA membership
• Communicating upcoming events, meetings, and workshops
• Providing updates on CYA activities and initiatives
• Internal administration of the association

Your information will not be sold, shared, or disclosed to any third party for marketing or commercial purposes.

Storage and Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Personal data is stored securely and access is limited to authorised CYA administrators only.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of any inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Opt out of communications at any time

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy statement or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at [email protected].