Greens to back Voice after Lidia Thorpe quits

The Greens are expected to support the Voice to Parliament following Senator Lidia Thorpe’s exit from the party.

The Greens are expected to throw their support behind the government’s proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament following the exit of Senator Lidia Thorpe from the party.

The federal parliamentary party are meeting late Monday to finalise their position on the Voice as the Yes and No campaigns ramp up for a referendum later this year.

Until now, they have not announced an official position and the issue has sparked internal divisions over discussions about whether they should adopt a “Treaty-first” approach.

Greens leader Adam Bandt addressing media in Canberra on Monday. Picture: Gary Ramage

But it is understood the Greens are set to reveal they will back a Yes vote in the Voice referendum and that this decision sparked Ms Thorpe, a key critic of the proposal, to announce her defection.

A position was all but finalised at a party retreat over the weekend, which Ms Thorpe did not attend, but will be formalised with a party room vote.

A source familiar with Voice discussions said their decision would be a “watershed moment” for Aboriginal Australians and the Yes campaign.

Senator wants to ‘speak freely’

Lidia Thorpe has sensationally quit the Greens and will sit as an independent in a move she says will finally give voice to the “Blak sovereign movement”.

Greens leader Adam Bandt said he had tried “very hard” to convince the Victorian to stay, and had offered her a chance to speak independent of the party.

He said that while he was “very sad” to see her leave the party, he ultimately respected her decision.

The controversial senator, who is not up for re-election until 2028, confirmed her defection during a snap press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday afternoon.

“This country has a strong grassroots Blak sovereign movement, full of staunch and committed warriors, and I want to represent that movement fully,” she said.

“It has become clear to me that I can’t do that from within the Greens.”

The senator – who was the minor party’s spokesperson for Indigenous Australians – said she would now be able to “speak freely” without being constrained by “agreed party positions” – alluding to the government’s proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

The Greens have not reached a final party position but were expected to support the Voice to Parliament, while Senator Thorpe has been critical of the body, saying she wants guarantees it will not cede First Nations sovereignty.

Senator Lidia Thorpe has announced she has quit the Greens to sit as an independent on the crossbench. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Valeriu Campan

Despite seemingly quitting the party over the voice, the Victorian told reporters she would not announce her position on the referendum at this time.

“I want to continue my negotiations with the government, First Nations sovereignty is crucial but so is saving lives today,” Senator Thorpe said.

“They could do that by implementing the royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody and the recommendations from the Bringing Them Home report.”

The proud DjabWurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman refused to answer questions after announcing her intention to quit but thanked the Greens leader and deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi for being “strong allies” and for their “personal support”.

Mr Bandt said he was “truly sad” that Senator Thorpe was leaving the Greens.

“She is a fighter for her people. She has helped put treaty, and raising the age of criminal responsibility on the parliamentary agenda,” he said.

Senator Thorpe is an active protester. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Senator Thorpe said she would continue to vote with the Greens on matters of climate, but her focus now was to “grow and amplify the black sovereign movement in this country”.

“Something we have never had since this place (parliament) was established. There is a black sovereign movement out there that no one wants to listen to, so I will be their voice,” she said.

The party had reached an agreement with Senator Thorpe that would have allowed her to cross the floor.

Mr Bandt said he had made it clear to Senator Thorpe that she still “had a place in the Greens”.

“I made it clear … that I wish she had continued in the Greens, including as the party’s First Nations spokesperson, that she had the right to, of course under our Constitution, vote differently on the question of Voice and if she came to a different position on the question of Voice, that I would take over responsibility for being the party spokesperson so that she would be free to speak her mind,” he said.

“She’s obviously decided to adopt a different course.

“I wish she had made a different position, but I understand the reasons that she has given for that decision.”

Senator Lidia Thorpe was asked to stay with the Greens, but the party said they respected her decision. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

He reiterated that under the Greens constitution, Senator Thorpe would have been able to vote independent of the party, telling reporters he had said to her that she could “continue to advocate for Blak sovereignty from within the Greens”.

“I tried very hard to get Senator Thorpe to stay. I wanted her to stay, I felt that there was a place for her in the party,” he said.

“I’m sad about that – but that’s what she’s decided.”

Mr Bandt said the party had still not finalised its position on the Voice.

“The Greens want to see progress on all elements of the Statement form the Heart on truth, treaty and voice,” he said.

“I’m not going to pre-empt what my colleagues will decide. We still have our processes to work through, but we’re taking it seriously.”

Senator Thorpe last year resigned from her Greens leadership role over revelations she had dated a bikie. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Senator Thorpe resigned from her Greens leadership role last year after it was revealed she had dated Victorian Rebels bikie gang ex-president Dean Martin while sitting on the joint parliamentary committee examine bikie gangs.

She began Monday’s speech by acknowledging she was on stolen land and conveyed audible disdain for “this place”, being parliament, during her announcement.

She has previously been vocal, saying the parliament has no permission to be here and she was elected on a mandate of “infiltrating” the Senate.

Last year she described the parliament as “illegitimate”.

She finished her press conference by saying her focus was now on “growing and amplifying the Blak sovereign movement across the nation”.

“I have spent my entire life fighting for justice, to defend our sovereignty, to save Blak lives. That is my goal,” she said.

Originally published as Greens to back Voice after Lidia Thorpe quits