Dorinda Cox

Greens Senator. Yamatji Noongar woman. Mum.

Dorinda Cox is a Yamatji-Noongar woman with a strong record of working for social justice in her community; locally, globally and nationally. Dorinda is the mother of two daughters and small business owner.

Dorinda has over 20 years’ experience working in government and non-government sectors and has made significant contributions to policy and advocacy in the areas of domestic violence, child protection and Aboriginal Justice. 

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Born on Kanyeang country in Kojonup, Dorinda’s family moved to Perth when she was a baby and grew up in Hamilton Hill. She attended East Hamilton Hill Primary and South Fremantle Senior High School. 

Dorinda joined as a Police cadet at the age of 17 until the age of 19 as an Aboriginal Police Liaison Officer for the WA Police in both Perth and Kalgoorlie working in the frontline and specialising in family violence and sexual assault. 

She worked in the non-government and government sectors and was an Australian Government representative on several delegations on gender equality at the United Nations Commission for the Status of Women in New York at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation in Peru and also UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in Thailand. 

Dorinda also chaired the National Sexual Assault Services Board after participating in the first National Action Plan for Violence against Women and children under the Rudd Government, where she recommended key law reform and policy initiatives, that provide a reference point for this weeks National Women’s Safety Summit and the development of the Second National Action Plan.

In 2013 Dorinda started her own business, Inspire Change Consulting Group, to advise government bodies and departments on social issues, policy and advocacy work. 

Alongside being the Board Director of Our Watch - National Primary Prevention for Violence against Women Foundation, Dorinda has been a member of:

• Expert Indigenous Women’s Working Group on the Global Treaty on Preventing Violence Against Women in the Everywoman, Everywhere Campaign;
• Victims of Crime Advisory Group to the Attorney General WA;
• Advisory Committee on Child Death Reviews and Family Violence Homicides for the WA Ombudsman;
• Aboriginal and Community Justice Centre Advisory Group at the University of Western Australia; and
• Practitioner Engagement Group member for the Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety.

Dorinda is the Greens' spokesperson for Resources, Trade & Tourism and Science.