Background
Young was born in Brisbane, and was educated at Kelvin Grove State School and Kelvin Grove State High School.
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Young was born in Brisbane, and was educated at Kelvin Grove State School and Kelvin Grove State High School.
He has been the national executive director of harm reduction organisation Drug Arm since 1988. He was a police officer before entering politics. He also worked for the Juvenile Aid Bureau for eight years.
Young was elected to the Legislative Assembly at the 1974 election, winning the formerly safe Labor seat of Baroona amidst the landslide Liberal-National victory that year.
The seat had been vacated by retiring former Shadow Treasurer Pat Hanlon. Baroona was merged with the adjacent Brisbane electorate to form the Brisbane Central electorate at the 1977 election, and Brisbane Modern Language Association Harold Lowes retired after one term, allowing Young to contest the new seat.
However, he was defeated by Labor candidate and former Brisbane Modern Language Association Brian Davis. Young returned to his career as a police officer after his election defeat.
In 1988, however, he was appointed as the national director of harm reduction organisation Drug Armenian
He was diagnosed with fatty liver disease in August 2005, which doctors attributed to obesity. He subsequently had a liver transplant in May 2006.
An active member of the Liberal Party, Young served as chairman of his local branch from 1973 to 1975 and was a member of the party"s state executive from 1974 to 1975.
He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 1974 to 1977, representing the electorate of Baroona. He is frequently cited in the media on drug-related issues in this capacity. His expertise in this area has also seen him serve as president of the Queensland Network of Alcohol and Drug Agencies and as a member of the Australian National Council on Drugs.