Lidia Thorpe is a proud DjabWurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman, the former member for Northcote in the Victorian Legislative Assembly and formerly an Australian Senator for the Greens.
Lidia raised three children as a single mum and went on to university to study policy. Prior to entering politics she was the managing director of Clan Corporation, a sustainable housing and renewable energy business catering to remote Aboriginal communities, as well as the chair of the Victorian NAIDOC Committee. She has also been an adviser to Our Watch, Environment Victoria, the Australian Conservation Foundation and more.
In 2017, Lidia was the first Aboriginal woman elected to Victorian parliament. Her portfolios included Aboriginal affairs, mental health, consumer affairs and sport.
In 2020, Lidia was preselected to fill the Senate vacancy created by the resignation of Richard Di Natale. Her portfolios included First Nations, the Republic and sport.
Senator Thorpe has drawn attention to human rights abuses at Don Dale, fought the deportation of First Nations people, fearlessly challenged the colonial relics of parliamentary process and fiercely pursued Treaty.
In 2023 after a phenomenal contribution to the Greens, Lidia left the party to advance the Blak Sovereignty movement.
