Australia’s youngest Senator, Charlotte Walker, has unexpectedly become the talk of social media after sharing a playful video on Instagram.
In the video, Walker, who receives a base salary of $239,270, is seen playfully rising from the ground following a clip of a woman leaping onto a sign.
“My name is Charlotte Walker, I am a Senator, and I am 21 years old,” she announces, setting the stage for a message delivered with comedic flair.
“Consider this your sign to hydrate, eat your veggies, get a good night’s sleep, slay, and most importantly, follow me,” she humorously suggests.
The video wraps up with footage of Walker applauding at an unrelated event.
Aimed at engaging a younger demographic with its light-hearted tone, the post sparked a variety of responses online, ranging from amusement to criticism.
Critics accused Walker of trivialising her role.
‘This is a great advertisement — to not vote Labor,’ one user commented.
The video posted to Instagram begins with Charlotte Walker (pictured) lying on the ground
‘Our taxpayer dollars at work…’ wrote another.
‘Paid $218k a year for this,’ said a third.
‘This is vulgar, cringe and so immature. It is definitely not the standard we should have in politics. You are not a teenage TikToker. If you want to cheapen politics, you’ll get no respect and make the electorate disrespectful,’ a fourth said.
But Walker also received plenty of support, including from Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who previously held the record as the youngest woman elected to the Senate.
‘So good! You’re smashing it,’ Hanson-Young wrote.
Despite being from different parties that frequently clash, Walker has said Hanson-Young reached out when she first entered Parliament to offer advice.
Other commenters were equally supportive.
‘Came here for the salty [Liberal Party] boomer comments and I wasn’t disappointed. Keep it up, Charlotte,’ one wrote, making light of the negative comments.
Walker (pictured) urges her followers to drink water, eat food, slay and follow her on Instagram
‘This has made my day,’ said another.
Walker’s rise to the Senate was unexpected.
Born in Yankalilla, South Australia, she turned 21 on election day in May 2025.
She was preselected for the third spot on Labor’s Senate ticket in South Australia, a position traditionally considered unwinnable.
But a significant swing towards Labor helped her secure the seat, making her the youngest senator in Australian history.
Before entering Parliament, Walker served as President of SA Young Labor and worked for the Australian Services Union.
She previously worked part-time for Leon Bignell, Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly.
Walker made headlines earlier this year, clashing with Senator Pauline Hanson, with the pair disagreeing over Hanson’s stance on Labor’s Net Zero emissions policies.
Charlotte Walker made history as the youngest Senator ever elected in Australia, being just 21
Hanson criticised Walker’s age, saying she was ‘barely out of nappies’.
Walker has previously addressed criticism head-on, acknowledging that being young and female in politics comes with challenges.
‘Some of the comments have been really hard, definitely a lot of misogyny,’ she told ABC Radio Adelaide.
‘I’ve seen things like, ‘get back in the kitchen’, ‘go make me a sandwich’, ‘what’s this child doing in Parliament?’ That’s politics,’ she said.
‘All you can do is continue forward and know that you’re doing it for the right reasons. Quite frankly, it’s worth all the criticism. It can be hard, but I love it, truly.’
Senator Walker’s salary also comes with a generous travel and accommodation allowance, in addition to office and electorate expenses, which can easily wrack up into the tens of thousands of dollars.
Senator Walker will also be offered membership to the highly exclusive Chairman’s Lounge – a private lounge for VIPs flying with Qantas in all of Australia’s major airports.
Her entitlements include unlimited domestic travel for official duties and access to COMCAR, a chauffeur-driven car service available in Canberra and other major cities.
Fresh-faced and smiling in her garishly green school uniform, Charlotte Walker looks like any other Year 12 pupil with hopes and dreams for her future…
…but just three short years later she has been elected as a senator to represent the good people of South Australia on a whopping base salary of $239,270 (pictured: Senator Walker with the Prime Minister)
Senators who reside outside Canberra are eligible to claim a second residence allowance or be reimbursed for accommodation costs – up to $300 per night tax free.
Many take advantage of this by purchasing property in Canberra and still claiming the allowance for staying in their own home, a practice that, while controversial, remains within the rules.
She also receives a fully funded electorate office, which comes with at least four full-time staff, as well as taxpayer-covered office supplies, IT equipment, printing, and postage.
In addition, she is granted a communications allowance for newsletters, advertising, and constituent surveys, which alone can total tens of thousands of dollars each year.
