Australia’s first Indigenous woman M.P. steps down

In a move that shocked her parliamentary colleagues and staff, Nova Peris, Australia’s first Indigenous woman parliamentarian and a former Olympian, decided to quit ahead of federal election on July 2.

Peris, who is reportedly being considered for a high-profile role with the Australian Football League, defended her sudden resignation, saying that she needed to look after her family.

“I may be leaving but I am leaving on my terms and I want to make this clear: No-one should judge me,” said Peris in an emotional address in Darwin in Thursday, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.

Trish Crossin, a veteran from Labor Party, slammed Peris for quitting so close to the elections, writes the BBC. Peris answered her critics by underlining the challenges faced by Indigenous Australians. Former Northern Territory minister Malarndirri McCarthy leads the race to replace Peris as the Labor Party’s candidate in the upcoming elections.

Peris often had differences with her colleagues, which likely led to her sudden resignation, notes The Australian. As she failed to make an impact in the senate, she was “frozen out” of the information stream within her party, the article noted.