The youngest Senator in Australia’s history, Charlotte Walker, has delivered her first speech in federal Senate, emphasising that young voices and diversity are “fundamental to building a stronger and fairer society”.
“I am so proud and genuinely humbled to be able to bring a new young voice to the Albanese Labor government,” 21-year-old Walker said.
“I am the first parliamentarian born in this millennium, and I’m joining a government which, for the first time in Australian history, has a cabinet made up of more women than men.”
Speaking to the results of the May election, Walker said that Australian voters “overwhelmingly rejected the politics of hate and division which have been on the rise in many countries across the world”.
Walker said voters “gave expression to the core Australian value of a fair go, the touchstone of our Australian Labor Movement”.
“This fair go underpins every policy this government took to the people. Analysts and commentators have told us how influential younger Australians were in this election. And whilst this is not my first speech, I am honored to be able to move this motion and take this first opportunity to say to all young Australians: ‘We hear you’.”
Representing South Australia, Walker is affiliated with Labor’s left faction and is currently the president of SA Young Labor and a staffer at the Australian Services Union.
She joined the party at age 18, and on election night in May, she turned 21, as she secured the third Senate spot for Labor in her state.
Walker 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.
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.