Five of Federal Parliament’s seven Indigenous members are up for re-election on Saturday, while a host of new and well-known faces have also stepped forward to swell the ranks.
Among more than 40 Indigenous candidates identified this election (at least 25 House of Representatives, 16 Senate) a few key figures stand out.
Some three per cent of more than 1200 candidates vying for the House of Representatives this election are Indigenous, which remains short of the 3.3 per cent Indigenous representation in the wider population.
WA has by far the most Indigenous House of Rep candidates with eight standing, while the Greens’ all-Indigenous Victorian Senate ticket is also worthy of note.
The Northern Territory’s Senate will most likely become all-Indigenous too, with Labor and Liberal putting forward strong First Nations candidates.
*** indicates a candidate expected to win
Incumbents
Ken Wyatt | Liberal | Hasluck | WA | ALP GAIN – 10.5% swing
Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt is the incumbent MP and holds the seat with a 5.9 per cent margin. Faces a tight contest in his outer-metropolitan seat.
*** Linda Burney | Labor | Barton | NSW | ***
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney is the incumbent MP and holds the seat with a 9.4 per cent margin. Expected to return safely to office.
*** Lidia Thorpe | Greens | Senate | VIC | ***
Greens spokeswoman for Indigenous Australians Lidia Thorpe took over from Richard Di Natale in 2020 and is expected to safely retain her seat.
*** Dorinda Cox | Greens | Senate | WA | ***
Dorinda Cox replaced Rachel Siewert in 2021 and, if re-elected as expected, will become the first voted-in Indigenous female senator in WA.
*** Malarndirri McArthy | Labor | Senate | NT ***
Yanyuwa woman Malarndirri McArthy is very likely to retain her NT Senate spot.
Key challengers
*** Jacinta Nampijinpa Price | Country Liberal | Senate | NT ***
Strong, outspoken and at times polarising, Ms Price is likely to gain one of two NT senate seats.
*** Marion Scrymgour | Labor | Lingiari | NT ***
The former NT deputy chief minister takes over from long-serving Labor MP Warren Snowdon, who held the seat since inception in 2001. The loss of Mr Snowdon’s personal vote could be a deciding factor.
Pat O’Shane | Socialist Alliance | Leichardt | QLD | LNP RETAIN
The micro-party candidate may not be likely to win the marginal seat, but her preferences will be critical in determining whether it is a Liberal hold or Labor gain.
Megan Krakouer | Independent | Senate | WA | x
A famous footy name coupled with a strong human rights and deaths in custody platform, the odds are nonetheless against Megan Krakouer who is second on her ticket.
Owen Douglas Whyman | Aboriginal Party of Australia | Senate | NSW | x
Founder of the all-Indigenous party, Owen Douglas Whyman faces an uphill battle to gain a senate spot, but has campaigned hard on First Nations issues.
Celeste Liddle | Greens | Cooper | VIC | ALP RETAIN
While unlikely, Ms Liddle is vying to become Victoria’s first Indigenous House of Representatives member.
Adam Frogley | Greens | Senate | VIC | x
The Taungurung man is second behind Lidia Thorpe on the Greens’ all-Indigenous Victorian senate ticket.
Allison Bluck | Liberal | Mayo | SA | IND RETAIN
-11.9% swing against Bluck
More candidates
Josephine Cashman | One Nation | Lyne | NSW | NAT RETAIN
*** Gordon Reid | Labor | Robertson | NSW ***
+5% swing to Reid
Trish Frail | Greens | Parkes | NSW | NAT RETAIN
Dominic WY Kanak | Greens | Wentworth | NSW | IND GAIN
Brett Rodney Duroux | Aboriginal Party of Australia | Page | NSW | NAT RETAIN
Derek Hardman | Aboriginal Party of Australia | Parkes | NSW | NAT RETAIN
Jeffrey Wayne Lawson | Aboriginal Party of Australia | Robertson | NSW | LAB GAIN
Lawrence John Brooke | Aboriginal Party of Australia | Senate | NSW | x
Tabitha Young | Labor | Bonner | QLD | LNP RETAIN
Donisha Duff | Labor | Bowman | QLD | LNP RETAIN
Jordan Hall | Greens | Forde | QLD | LNP RETAIN
Rod Jensen | Katter’s Australian Party | Leichardt | QLD | LNP RETAIN
Jeremiah Riley | Labor | Durack | WA | LNP RETAIN
+8.6% swing to Riley
Shaneane Weldon | Labor | O’Connor | WA | LNP RETAIN
+6.9% swing to Weldon
Daniel Garlett | Greens | Burt | WA | LAB RETAIN
Bianca McNeair | Greens | Durack | WA |LNP RETAIN
Donna Nelson | Greens | Pearce | WA | LAB GAIN
Clint Uink | Greens | Swan | WA | LAB GAIN
Dena Gower | Australian Christians | Swan | WA | LAB GAIN
*** Jana Stewart | Labor | Senate | VIC ***
Marjorie Thorpe | Greens | Gippsland | VIC | NAT RETAIN
Sissy Austin | Greens | Senate | VIC | x
Zeb Payne | Greens | Senate | VIC | x
Lionel Henaway | Aboriginal Party of Australia | Senate | QLD | x
Jenny-Lee Carr | Aboriginal Party of Australia | Senate | QLD | x
Dianne Stokes | Greens | Senate | NT
Major “Moogy” Sumner | Greens | Senate | NT | x
Tjanara Goreng Goreng | Greens | Senate | NT | x
