'The way the world is evolving': Mandurah the city of youths

The appointment last week of Zak Kirkup as state Opposition leader makes him the second-youngest in WA history after Labor's Thomas Bath.

The Dawesville MP is the youngest Liberal to take on the job after Matt Birney's short-lived reign at age 35.

Meanwhile Rhys Williams, in 2017 at age 29 was one of the youngest people in WA elected to a local government council and certainly the youngest mayor in the history of Mandurah.

And Andrew Hastie became federal Canning MP at the age of just 33 when he was elected in a 2015 by-election after resigning as a captain in the Special Air Services.

But it doesn't stop there.

On Sunday, the Greens party had a launch to announce their Mandurah candidate for the 2021 election - Xanthe Turner, who took the first opportunity to apply when she became eligible at age 18, putting her among the youngest political candidates in the country.

"All generations have a lot to offer but with the way the world is evolving I think my generation has a lot to contribute in terms of ideas, attitudes, and positive change," Ms Turner told the Mail.

"Certainly there is value in the experience that comes with age but for people that say you're too young to have a specific role, I don't think that should be the deciding factor."

Mr Kirkup had the same message for naysayers when he spoke to reporters after his appointment last week.

"I think anyone should judge a person by their actions and not by their age."