Political Career
During 1997-98 Ridgeway served as the state policy convener for the New South Wales Branch of the Democrats. He was subsequently selected in the first position on the Democrats' Senate ticket at the 1998 election. This led to him becoming only the third Aboriginal member of an Australian parliament, after Neville Bonner and Ernie Bridge.
Ridgeway has served on a number of parliamentary and senate committees. In March 2001, he addressed the United Nations Special Session on Racism. He also attended the World Conference Against Racism in South Africa in the same year.
In April 2001, Ridgeway was elected deputy leader of the Democrats, after Natasha Stott Despoja toppled Meg Lees in a leadership spill.
Ridgeway continued as deputy leader until August 2002, when along with fellow senators John Cherry, Lyn Allison and Andrew Murray, he succeeded in forcing Stott Despoja to resign. It was widely tipped that he would succeed her as leader. However, the media did not portray the spill kindly, labelling them the 'Gang of Four'.
Ridgeway was expected to be appointed interim leader however, in a surprise decision, the party's National Executive installed Brian Greig as interim leader due to the role Ridgeway played in forcing the resignation of Stott Despoja. Ridgeway did not contest the subsequent leadership ballot, at which Andrew Bartlett defeated Brian Greig. Ridgeway was technically leader between Natasha Stott Despoja's resignation and the appointment of Brian Greig as interim leader.
Ridgeway also stood down as deputy leader and was replaced by Lyn Allison. Ridgeway did not contest the leadership and stood down as deputy leader as he felt the National Executive's decision not to appoint him as interim leader was a reflection on him in a leadership position.
He remained in the Senate, being particularly active on issues of indigenous affairs and reconciliation. He lost his seat in the 2004 election, along with Cherry, Lees (who had since left the party), and Greig. His term expired on 30 June 2005.
Read more about this topic: Aden Ridgeway
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