When Lidia Thorpe walked out of the Australian Greens in February 2023, she didn’t just leave a party—she stepped into a new political identity as an independent senator championing the Blak Sovereign Movement. A Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab Wurring woman, she has spent years fighting for Indigenous land rights, climate action, and constitutional recognition on her own terms. Here’s a closer look at her journey, her protests, and what’s next for one of Australia’s most outspoken parliamentarians.
Full name: Lidia Thorpe ·
Born: 18 August 1973 (age 51) ·
State represented: Victoria ·
Current party: Independent (formerly Greens) ·
Senate start: 2020 ·
First Aboriginal senator from Victoria: Yes
Quick snapshot
- Resigned from the Greens in February 2023 (ABC News)
- First Aboriginal senator from Victoria (Senator Lidia Thorpe – About)
- Has three children (Wikipedia)
- Niece of activist Robbie Thorpe (Wikipedia)
- Exact net worth not publicly known
- Marital status and husband’s identity not confirmed
- Children’s names and ages not publicly available
- Details about early life remain vague
- 2017: Elected to Victorian Parliament (Thorpe official bio)
- 2020: Appointed to Senate (Thorpe official bio)
- Feb 2023: Resigned from Greens (ABC News)
- Oct 2024: Heckled King Charles (BBC News)
- Continues as independent senator for Victoria
- Further protests against defense and mining projects likely
- Potential electoral moves – speculation about future alliances
Seven key facts about Lidia Thorpe, drawn from official and verified sources.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Lidia Thorpe |
| Born | 18 August 1973 (Wikipedia) |
| State | Victoria |
| Political party | Independent (formerly Greens) |
| Senate start | 2020 (Thorpe official bio) |
| First Aboriginal senator from Victoria | Yes (Thorpe official bio) |
| Children | 3 (Wikipedia) |
Thorpe’s resignation from the Greens in February 2023 removed the party’s official Indigenous parliamentary voice on a key issue: the Voice to Parliament. She now speaks entirely for the Blak Sovereign Movement, a position that gives her moral authority but isolates her from party machinery.
What has happened to Lidia Thorpe?
Why did she leave the Greens?
- Thorpe resigned from the Australian Greens on 6 February 2023, the first day of the parliamentary year (ABC News).
- She said she could not support the party’s stance on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, which she felt was too moderate (ABC News).
- The Greens leader Adam Bandt confirmed she would remain in the Senate as an independent (Australian Greens media release).
Her resignation statement was blunt: “I am not a colonised woman, I am a sovereign woman” (Wikipedia citing media reports). The implication: Thorpe saw the Greens as insufficiently radical on Indigenous sovereignty.
What protests has she been involved in?
- In 2021 she was charged with trespass after protesting at a mine site (Wikipedia).
- In 2024 she protested against defense operations at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia (ABC News).
- In October 2024 she heckled King Charles during his address to Parliament House, accusing him of genocide (BBC News).
Thorpe defended the heckling as an act of protest, calling it a necessary response to colonial violence (BBC News).
What is her current role in Parliament?
Since leaving the Greens, Thorpe sits as an independent senator for Victoria. She continues to serve on committees and uses her platform to advance the Blak Sovereign Movement—a network of activists calling for Indigenous self-determination outside the framework of the Australian Constitution. She has not joined any other party.
As an independent, Thorpe has full freedom to speak her mind—but she also loses the backing of a party machine. Her protest actions, including the King Charles heckling, have drawn calls for her censure or expulsion from the Senate (ABC News).
Does Lidia Thorpe have children?
How many children does Lidia Thorpe have?
Thorpe has three children, according to her Wikipedia biography (Wikipedia). She has not publicly disclosed their names or ages, and she rarely discusses her family life in interviews.
Who are her children?
No details about her children’s identities, birth dates, or professions are publicly available. Thorpe has chosen to keep her family life private, consistent with many politicians who shield their children from media attention.
Her choice to keep family out of the spotlight reinforces her focus on public service rather than personal brand.
What is Lidia Thorpe’s ancestry?
What is Lidia Thorpe’s ethnic background?
- Thorpe is a Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab Wurring woman (Thorpe official bio).
- She is an Aboriginal Australian from the state of Victoria.
Her ancestry ties her to the lands and waters of eastern Victoria and the Gunditjmara country in the southwest. She has frequently cited this heritage as the foundation of her political activism.
Where are her ancestors from?
Her ancestors come from the Gunnai nation (Gippsland region), the Gunditjmara people (southwest Victoria), and the Djab Wurrung people (central western Victoria). All three groups have deep histories of resistance to colonization. Thorpe’s lineage is a point of pride; she has said “I come from the oldest living culture on earth.”
Thorpe’s strong grounding in her Aboriginal identity gives her credibility among Indigenous activists, but it also leads to accusations of divisiveness from conservative commentators. Her heritage is both her political foundation and a frequent target of criticism.
The pattern: Thorpe’s identity is the core of her political appeal, but it also makes her a lightning rod for partisan attacks.
Is Lidia Thorpe related to Robbie Thorpe?
Who is Robbie Thorpe?
Robbie Thorpe is a well-known Aboriginal activist, poet, and former candidate for the Australian Senate. He has been a vocal advocate for Indigenous sovereignty and has written extensively about the impacts of colonization (Wikipedia).
What is their relationship?
Lidia Thorpe is the niece of Robbie Thorpe (Wikipedia). The family connection places her within a lineage of Aboriginal activism; Robbie Thorpe’s writings and protests have influenced her political outlook. While they share a surname and a cause, Lidia Thorpe has built her own distinct parliamentary career.
What is Lidia Thorpe’s net worth?
What is her estimated net worth?
There is no publicly verified net worth figure for Lidia Thorpe. She has not disclosed her personal wealth, and no independent estimate has been widely reported.
How does she earn income?
As a senator, Thorpe receives a parliamentary salary set by the Remuneration Tribunal. As of 2024, the base salary for a senator is approximately AUD 225,000 per year. She does not appear to hold directorships or other paid positions outside politics. Her net worth remains a matter of speculation; no verified figures are available.
The lack of net worth data makes Thorpe an outlier among politicians who often publish financial interests. If she runs for office again or joins a party, disclosure rules may eventually force transparency.
The implication: Her financial privacy could become a vulnerability if she faces closer scrutiny.
Timeline of key events
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Born in Melbourne | Wikipedia |
| 2017 | Elected to Victorian Legislative Assembly for Northcote in by-election | Thorpe official bio |
| 2018 | Defeated in state election | Wikipedia |
| 2020 | Appointed to Australian Senate as Greens senator for Victoria | Thorpe official bio |
| 2021 | Charged with trespass after protesting at a mine site | Wikipedia |
| Feb 2023 | Resigned from Australian Greens, became independent | Australian Greens |
| Oct 2024 | Heckled King Charles at Parliament House | BBC News |
Clarity check: what’s confirmed vs what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- She resigned from the Greens in February 2023 (ABC News)
- She is the niece of Robbie Thorpe (Wikipedia)
- She has three children (Wikipedia)
- She is a Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab Wurring woman (Thorpe official bio)
- She was a Greens senator from Victoria until 2023 (Australian Greens)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth
- Marital status and husband’s identity
- Children’s names and ages
- Specific details about her early life and education
- Future electoral plans
Key quotes
“I am not a colonised woman, I am a sovereign woman.”
— Lidia Thorpe, on leaving the Greens, as reported by multiple media outlets (Wikipedia)
“Senator Thorpe has resigned from the Australian Greens. She will remain in the Senate as an independent.”
— Adam Bandt, Leader of the Australian Greens (Australian Greens media release)
“The strong grassroots black sovereign movement is not about a Voice to Parliament that sits within the constitution. It’s about something much deeper.”
— Lidia Thorpe, in her resignation statement (YouTube Senate clip)
What this means
For the Blak Sovereign Movement, having Thorpe as a senator means their arguments are heard in the nation’s highest chamber. But the movement’s long-term impact will depend on whether Thorpe can translate protest into policy—and whether the major parties take Indigenous sovereignty demands seriously. For voters, the trade-off is clear: a passionate, independent voice who breaks norms, but who also risks being marginalized by the political mainstream.
youtube.com, youtube.com, insidestory.org.au, greens.org.au, rmit.edu.au, blackpeoplesunion.org, abc.net.au, reddit.com
Frequently asked questions
How old is Lidia Thorpe?
She was born on 18 August 1973, making her 51 years old as of 2025.
Where was Lidia Thorpe born?
She was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
What is Lidia Thorpe’s educational background?
Thorpe has not publicly detailed her formal education. Her official biography focuses on her activism and political work rather than academic qualifications.
Does Lidia Thorpe support the Voice to Parliament?
She opposed the Indigenous Voice to Parliament proposed by the Albanese government, arguing it did not go far enough. Her opposition was a key reason for her resignation from the Greens (ABC News).
Is Lidia Thorpe on social media?
Yes, she is active on X (Twitter) @SenatorThorpe and Instagram, where she posts about her political activities and protests.
What committees does Lidia Thorpe serve on in the Senate?
As an independent, she serves on the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills and the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, among others.
Has Lidia Thorpe ever been arrested?
Yes, she was charged with trespass in 2021 during a protest at a mine site. The case is a matter of public record (Wikipedia).
What does the Blak Sovereign Movement advocate for?
The Blak Sovereign Movement calls for full Indigenous self-determination outside the Australian Constitution, including separate treaties, land rights, and rejection of colonial legal frameworks. Thorpe is one of its most prominent parliamentary voices.
Alex Chen is Editor-in-Chief at Aussie Briefly, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.