Labor landslide sweeps 21-year-old into Senate

Anthony Albanese will have to win over only the Greens to pass legislation through the Senate under the post-election line-up, as the final vote count catapults a 21-year-old to the upper house.

Twenty-one-year-old Charlotte Walker won the last Senate seat in SA after weeks of counting after the federal election. She celebrated her 21st birthday on election day. Picture: Brett Hartwig

You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles.

Anthony Albanese will have only to win over the Greens to pass legislation through the Senate under the post-election line-up, as the final vote count catapults a 21-year-old to the upper house.

Labor’s Charlotte Walker became the nation’s youngest senator on Tuesday, after South Australia’s vote count was finalised, handing her the state’s sixth Senate spot from the usually unwinnable third spot on the ALP ticket.

The Australian Electoral Commission also confirmed the final Senate line-up for the NT and Tasmania, with Jacqui Lambie securing the fifth Senate position in the state and the Liberals’ Richard Colbeck the sixth.

With the other states’ counts expected to be finalised later this week, Labor was on track to hold 30 Senate seats in this term.

The result marked a significant jump from the 24 seats held in the 47th parliament, with Labor likely to gain senators from the impossible third spot on the Senate ticket in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.

Senator Walker, who was officially declared at an event in Ade­laide on Tuesday, said she was honoured to be joining the Albanese government as it “continues to deliver for Australians”.

“I’m excited to use my experience and perspective as a young person to shape our policy going forward,” she said. “I’m a young woman from the country. My aim is to get out there and listen to all South Australians, particularly young South Australians.

“I think our democracy is stronger when people can see themselves in the parliament.”

The Coalition was on track to hold 27 seats and the Greens 11 in total after the May 3 election handed Labor a landslide victory.

The result meant Labor will need the support only of the Greens to pass legislation, rather than having to negotiate with the crossbench as well.

One Nation looked likely to pick up the sixth Queensland Senate seat, with Labor gaining two positions, the Liberals two and the Greens one seat.

Political strategist Glenn Druery, dubbed the “preference whisperer”, said the next parliament would have substantially fewer minor parties represented after reforms to electoral rules made it harder for small parties and independents to win seats.

He said Labor was likely to hold or increase its numbers in the upper house in future elections, unless it was hit by a major political disaster.

“Choice and diversity in parliaments, and having a parliament that is somewhat representative of the community, is a great thing,” Mr Druery said.

“And the fact is we are changing rules, changing legislation, to become more like the US in electoral terms, bit by bit; the major parties tinker with the rules to rig the elections their way.”

Mr Druery predicted Labor would remain in power for two to three terms, granting the Prime Minister the chance to leave a legacy as a major ALP reformer like Gough Whitlam or Paul Keating.

“It’s an amazing victory. Let’s hope Albo doesn’t waste it,” he said. “Let’s hope he does some good things and leaves a legacy he can be proud of.

“It’s a great responsibility he’s got. He doesn’t have to pussy foot around and worry about what might happen at the next election or even the one after that.”

Mr Druery said the Coalition was in such disarray following last week’s split that Mr Albanese could become Australia’s oldest serving prime minister, beating Robert Menzies, who retired at 71.