Charlotte Walker (politician)
Charlotte Walker | |
|---|---|
Walker in 2025 | |
| Senator for South Australia | |
| Assumed office 1 July 2025 | |
| Preceded by | David Fawcett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 May 2004 Adelaide, South Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
Charlotte Walker (born 3 May 2004) is an Australian politician who was elected as a Senator for South Australia at the 2025 federal election, representing the Australian Labor Party. As of 2025, she is the youngest senator in Australian history, having turned 21 on the day of the election. Her six-year term began on 1 July 2025.
Early life and education
Charlotte Walker was born on 3 May 2004 and grew up in Yankalilla, South Australia.[1][2]
She attended Investigator College in Victor Harbor.[3]
Career
After finishing high school, Walker was recruited by House of Assembly speaker Leon Bignell to work part time in his local electorate office.[3] She lives in Adelaide.[3]
Walker, the president of Young Labor in South Australia, was working for the Australian Services Union prior to the election.[3][4] She was preselected for the usually unwinnable third spot on Labor's SA Senate ticket, but was elected due to a large swing towards the party.[2] She is affiliated with the Labor Left faction.[2]
In the lead up to the election, Walker had posted videos on Instagram "talking up Labor policy while applying makeup, streaming the video game Minecraft and interviewing other young Labor members on the street".[5] She focused on issues such access to education, reducing students' HECS debts, and the cost of living. She also campaigned alongside other South Australian Labor candidates, including Louise Miller-Frost, Penny Wong, and Marielle Smith.[1]
Walker won a seat in the Senate, making her the youngest senator in Australian history, having turned 21 on the day of the election.[3][6] The previous youngest Senator was Jordon Steele-John from the Greens in Western Australia, who was elected in 2017 at the age of 23.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "Meet Charlotte Walker, the youngest senator in Australia's history". SBS News. 27 May 2025.
- ^ a b c Kelsall, Thomas (4 May 2025). "Labor candidate who turned 21 on election night likely to become senator". ABC News. Archived from the original on 5 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Willis, Belinda (4 May 2025). "Promise of a senate seat for Labor's Charlotte Walker on her 21st birthday". The Advertiser. Archived from the original on 4 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ Gilchrist, Charlie (5 April 2025). "Labor reveals anticipated SA candidates for federal election". InDaily. Archived from the original on 4 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ Simmons, David; Karakulak, Helen (1 May 2025). "Influenced: How politics intersected with social media in the final campaign week". InDaily. Archived from the original on 4 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ "South Australia Senators decided". Australian Electoral Commission. 26 May 2025.