Australia elects its youngest senator EVER who will pick up a huge salary - but many can't help but ask the same question
Charlotte Walker, a former union official, won Labor's third Senate seat for South Australia - an unexpected result in the preferential voting system, where third-ranked candidates rarely succeed.
She had the lowest vote count of the six newly elected senators for the state. The Australian Electoral Commission officially declared the poll Tuesday.
The new job will be a 'big adjustment,' said Walker, who starts her six-year term July 1. A federal lawmaker's base salary is more than $205,000 annually.
'There's a few feelings. Obviously, there's a lot of pressure,' Walker told Australian Broadcasting Corp. after the results were announced late Monday.
'I want to do a good job for South Australians, but I also want to show young people, particularly young women, that this is achievable and this is something that they can do also. I'm also really excited. Not many people my age get to … go to Canberra and have the ability to contribute in the way that I will,' she added.
However, her historic win hasn't been welcomed by everyone.
Some Australians have voiced concern, arguing that at just 21, Walker lacks the life experience needed for such a major role in parliament.
'Nothing personal, but sorry, at 21, few people have the wisdom, maturity, life experience, understanding of fundamental issues of the society, knowledge of the nation's and world's history to make a sound decision,' one said.
'I'm all for 21 year olds having a go, but she's never worked in the private sector, never managed a small business and probably never had a mortgage,' a second added.
'Good on her and she certainly seems a go getter. I'd love to see her apply these skills to a real career.
'Instead, she becomes yet another professional politician with no life or business experience making decisions about the future of the country - this is what is wrong with Australian politics,' a third said.
Others suggested she was a refreshing change.
'Don't succumb to old "experienced" colleagues and office politics - you are representing people,' one said.
'Good on her - maybe she can now represent the generation in her cohort which has been missing in Parliament,' a second added.
'Gotta start somewhere. So long as she doesn't think she knows everything remains teachable and works hard,' a third said.
Before Walker, the youngest senator was Jordon Steele-John of the Greens party, who was elected for Western Australia state in 2017 at the age of 23.
Australia's youngest-ever federal lawmaker was Wyatt Roy, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 at the age of 20. He lasted two three-year terms before he was voted out of his Queensland state seat.
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