The following information draws on publicly available information and was prepared with the assistance of the Parliamentary Library.
Federal parliamentarians
Neville Bonner (Senate, Qld, LIB; IND) 11.6.71 – 4.2.83
Mr Bonner was the first Indigenous member of any Australian Parliament in 1971.
David Kennedy (HR, Vic, ALP) 7.6.1969 – 2.12.1972
Mr Kennedy was the first Indigenous Australian to be elected to both a state parliament and the Federal Parliament (having served as the federal Member for Bendigo prior to entering the Victorian Parliament in 1982 (MLA, ALP). However, his Indigenous heritage was not known when he entered both parliaments nor did he self-identify as Indigenous at that time. For these reasons Neville Bonner is recorded as the first Indigenous federal parliamentarian.
Aden Ridgeway (Senate, NSW, Australian Democrats) 1.7.99 – 30.6.05
Ken Wyatt (HR, WA, LIB) 21.8.10 – current
Mr Wyatt is the first Indigenous member of the House of Representatives and the first Indigenous Member of Parliament to hold a ministerial position as the Assistant Minister for Health from 30 September 2015.
Nova Peris OAM (Senate, NT, ALP) 7.9.2013 – 9.5.2016
Ms Peris was the first female Indigenous Senator.
Jacqui Lambie (Senate, Tas, Palmer United Party; IND from November 2014) 1.7.14 – 13.11.17
Joanna Lindgren (Senate, Qld, LIB) 21.5.15 – 2.7.16
Ms Lindgren is the great-niece of Neville Bonner.
Patrick Dodson (Senate, WA, ALP) 28.4.16 – current
Malarndirri McCarthy (Senate, NT, ALP) 2.7.16 – current
Ms McCarthy was formerly elected to the NT Assembly (ALP) from 8.6.05 – 24.8.12. Ms McCarthy and Ms Burney are the first Indigenous women to be elected to both a state/territory parliament and the Federal Parliament.
Linda Burney (HR, NSW, ALP) 2.7.16 – current
Ms Burney is the first Indigenous female member of the House of Representatives. She was also the first and only Indigenous member of the New South Wales Parliament, having been elected in 2003. Ms McCarthy and Ms Burney are the first Indigenous women to be elected to both a state/territory parliament and the Federal Parliament.
State and territory parliamentarians
Northern Territory
Hyacinth Tungutalum (NT LA, CLP) 19.10.74 – 12.8.77
Mr Tungutalum was the first Indigenous Australian elected to any state/territory parliament.
Neville Perkins (NT LA, ALP) 13.8.77 – 6.3.81
Wesley Lanhupuy (NT LA, ALP) 3.12.83 – 25.8.95
Stanley Tipiloura (NT LA, ALP) 7.3.87–20.09.92
Maurice Rioli (NT LA, ALP) 7.11.92 – 17.8.01
John Ah Kit (NT LA, ALP) 7.10.95 – 17.6.05
Mr Ah Kit and his daughter Ngaree Ah Kit (see below) are the first Indigenous father and daughter to serve in any state parliament.
Matthew Bonson (NT LA, ALP) 18.8.01 – 8.8.08
Elliot McAdam (NT LA, ALP) 18.8.01 – 8.8.08
Marion Scrymgour (NT LA, ALP; IND from June 2009; ALP from August 2009) 18.8.01 – 24.8.12
Ms Scrymgour was the first female Indigenous minister in 2003; she was later appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, becoming (at that time) the highest-ranked Indigenous parliamentarian in Australian history.
Alison Anderson (NT LA, ALP; IND from August 2009; CLP from September 2011; PUP from April 2014; IND from November 2014) 8.6.05 – 27.8.16
Malarndirri McCarthy (NT LA, ALP) 8.6.05 – 24.8.12
Ms McCarthy has also been elected to Federal Parliament (2.7.16 – current).
Karl Hampton (NT LA, ALP) 23.9.06 – 24.8.12
Adam Giles (NT LA, CLP) 9.8.08 – 27.8.16
Mr Giles was the first Indigenous head of government as the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 14.3.13 – 27.8.16.
Bess Price (NT LA, CLP) 25.8.12 – 27.8.16
Francis Kurrupuwu (NT LA, CLP; PUP from April 2014; CLP from September 2014) 25.8.12 – 27.8.16
Larisa Lee (NT LA, CLP; PUP from May 2014; IND from November 2014) 25.8.12 – 27.8.16
Kenneth (Ken) Vowles (NT LA, ALP) 25.8.12 – current
Ngaree Ah Kit (NT LA, ALP) 27.8.16 – current
Ms Ah Kit and her father John Ah Kit are the first Indigenous father and daughter to serve in any state parliament.
Lawrence Costa (NT LA, ALP) 27.8.16 – current
Yingiya Mark Guyula (NT LA, IND) 27.8.16 – current
Chanston Paeche (NT LA, ALP) 27.8.16 – current
Selena Uibo (NT LA, ALP) 27.8.16 – current
Western Australia
Ernie Bridge (WA LA, ALP, IND from July 1996) 23.2.80 – 10.2.01
Mr Bridge was the first Indigenous minister in any Australian government, as Minister for Water Resources, the North-West and Aboriginal Affairs, a position he held from July 1986 until February 1989.
Carol Martin (WA LA, ALP) 10.2.01 – 9.3.13
Benjamin (Ben) Wyatt (WA LA, ALP) 11.3.06 – current
Josephine (Josie) Farrer (WA LA, ALP) 9.3.13 – current
Zak Kirkup (WA LA, LP), 11.3.17 – current
In his first speech (16.5.17), Mr Kirkup identified his grandfather as Aboriginal.
Queensland
Eric Deeral (NP) 7.12.74 – 12.11.77
Leanne Enoch (ALP) 31.1.15 – current
William (Billy) Gordon (ALP; IND from March 2015) 31.1.15 – 25.11.17
Cynthia Lui (ALP) 25.11.17 – current
In her first speech (15.2.18), Ms Lui identified as Indigenous.
Victoria
Cyril Kennedy (LC, ALP) 5.5.79 – 2.10.92
Mr Cyril and Mr Andrew Kennedy were the first brothers of Indigenous heritage to serve concurrently in any state parliament.
David (Andrew) Kennedy (LA, ALP) 3.4.82 – 1.3.85; 2.3.85 – 2.10.92
Mr Cyril and Mr Andrew Kennedy were the first brothers of Indigenous heritage to serve concurrently in any state parliament.
Lidia Thorpe (LA, Greens) 18.11.17 (Northcote by–election)
In her first speech (29.11.17), Ms Thorpe identified as Indigenous.
Tasmania
Paul Harriss (LC, IND) 25.5.96 – 24.2.14; (HA, LIB) 30.3.14 – 18.2.16
Kathryn Hay (HA, ALP) 20.7.02 – 18.3.06
New South Wales
Linda Burney (LA, ALP) 22.3.03 – 6.5.16
Ms Burney was subsequently elected to the Federal Parliament (2.7.16 – current).
Jai Rowell (LA, LP) 26.3.11 – current
Greg Warren (LA, ALP) 28.3.15 – current
In an article published (28.11.17), Mr Warren identified as Indigenous.
Australian Capital Territory
Christopher (Chris) Bourke (ALP) 2.6.11 – current