Lidia Thorpe quits Greens: New party could be formed, Jacqui Lambie may be the biggest winner

The Victorian senator has resigned from the party in order to pursue treaty before the voice.

Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe has resigned as a member of The Greens, with the main goal to amplify the 'Blak Sovereign Movement' - something she said she couldn't do within the party.

She also mentioned her choice to presume voting with the Greens on issues such as climate change.

This decision comes after increasing division between her and the party over the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, with her being allowed to dissent on the issue just days before her eventual resignation.

She later thanked leader Adam Bandt and deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi for their 'personal support and support in pushing the government on Truth and Treaty'.

It's unknown whether she will form her own party to contest the eventual 2028 election, in which her term will expire, whether she will contest as an independent (something that tends to produce minimal voter support in the senate), or will retire before then.

Thorpe mentioned she would lead the Blak Sovereignty Movement but it's unclear if she will register that as a party. There's also speculation she may join the Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia, though they do formally support the Voice to Parliament.

This makes Lidia Thorpe the second member to resign from their elected party after the 2022 election, with the first - Andrew Gee - being a member of the Nationals for Calare.

Both resignations came as a result of their party's position on the voice.

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Answering your questions

There is also an important byproduct to this, being the balance of power in the upper house.

Before this, the Greens and Labor combined only fell one short of a majority, meaning it was easier to pass legislation, with David Pocock or the 2 Jacqui Lambie Network MPs having to provide support for progressive legislation.

However, the resignation of Thorpe has massively cut the amount of power senator David Pocock has, as his vote is no longer enough to provide support to Labor and the Greens.

However, JLN senators Jacqui Lambie and Tammy Tyrrell are still able to provide the slim majority, heavily increasing their power in the senate and making them key senators for negotiation.

There is no indication that the leadership of The Greens will change. Dorinda Cox, meanwhile, is likely to take the First Nations portfolio.

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