South Australia’s Charlotte Walker has become the youngest Senator in Australia’s history, after preference flows saw her secure the third Senate spot for Labor in her state.
Walker, who turned 21 on election night earlier this month, was declared the winner overnight after the Australian Electoral Commission finished counting for the South Australia Senate race.
Walker, who is affiliated with Labor’s left faction, joined the party at 18 and is currently the president of SA Young Labor and a staffer at the Australian Services Union.
She grew up in the agricultural town of Yankalilla on the Fleurieu Peninsula and began working for State Labor Speaker Leon Bignell right after graduating from Investigator College in Victor Harbor.
“I caught up with her at the Yankalilla Show in 2022 and when I talked to her she seemed bright and interested in politics so I said ‘ how about you come and do a few days a week in my office’,” Bignell told The Advertiser earlier this month.
“I remember she had to take a day off for schoolies.”
On her official campaign socials, Walker attempted to appeal to young voters using a blend of videos where she applied her make-up and streamed Minecraft while talking about Labor policies. She also featured interviews with other Labor members and colleagues on the street including SA Senator Karen Grogan.
Earlier this month, SA senator and Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia’s parliament was “best when it represents all of Australia, including our young people”.
“Charlotte is an intelligent and principled woman who would add to the diversity of the Senate,” she said.
“The Albanese Labor Government is committed to building Australia’s future by delivering a stronger economy, a stronger Medicare and more help with cost-of-living relief.”
“We need South Australians to put Labor first in the Senate to ensure we can deliver on our commitments and stop Peter Dutton, who will cut everything except your taxes. Our capable and qualified senate candidates strike the right balance between experience and youth.”
SA senator Don Farrell described Walker was “very young and very, very lucky”.
“She will come in as a very new and young member of the Senate,” he said. “But we’ve got plenty of people up there in Canberra who will give her all of the advice she needs so that she’ll make a very very valuable contribution to the Australian political process.”
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