Australian Magazine

Senator Lidia Thorpe’s personal life reflects resilience shaped by hardship, activism & public scrutiny. Though she’s never had a legal husband, her relationships with Gavan McFadzean, Dean Martin & current partner James Nicholson have intersected with her political journey & advocacy for Indigenous sovereignty.

Early Life & Family Background

Senator Lidia Thorpe was born in Victoria and identifies as a Gunnai, Gunditjmara & Djab Wurrung woman. Her mother, an Aboriginal community advocate, inspired Thorpe’s early involvement in activism. Her father, Roy Illingworth, of English and Irish descent, became publicly known for criticising his daughter on television.

During a Sky News interview, Illingworth accused her of being “racist against white people” & said she ignores her European ancestry. Yet he also softened his comments, saying, “We still love each other – she’s still my daughter. She’s just a strong woman; she doesn’t need mental help.”

He recalled she became politicised at 16 or 17, a turning point that shaped her identity. The two remain estranged but exchange calls on Father’s Day & birthdays.

Thorpe became a single mother at 17 after enduring domestic violence. She raised three children & now has several grandchildren. Her experiences of hardship & abuse fuelled her advocacy for Indigenous rights, women’s safety & social justice.

The First Partner-A Private Past

While public curiosity about Lidia Thorpe husband remains high, she has never publicly named her first partner. There is no record of marriage & the father of her eldest children remains unidentified.

Thorpe has said her early relationships “never lasted,” describing years marked by instability & poverty. She later linked her 2013 bankruptcy to domestic violence, calling that period a defining lesson in resilience.

Gavan McFadzean-The Long-Term Partner

In the late 2010s, Thorpe entered a relationship with Gavan McFadzean, an environmental campaigner managing the Climate Change and Clean Energy Program. Their partnership lasted several years and ended in 2022 after revelations of Thorpe’s link with an ex-Rebels boss.

McFadzean reportedly discovered the affair through the media & posted on Facebook:

“When you find out via national media your partner was having an affair 😢.”

The fallout ended their relationship & pushed Thorpe’s personal life into national headlines.

Dean Martin-The Scandal That Reshaped Her Career

In early 2021, while serving on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement, Thorpe briefly connected with Dean Martin, the former Rebels Motorcycle Club president in Victoria. The committee received confidential briefings on outlaw gangs & the undeclared link caused alarm among staffers.

When the affair surfaced, Thorpe resigned as Deputy Leader of the Greens in the Senate. She admitted poor judgement but denied sharing any confidential information.

A parliamentary inquiry later cleared her of contempt, confirming she had not leaked material. Committee chair Slade Brockman said reports implying misuse of information were “inaccurate in key respects.”

Thorpe later told the Senate she was “mauled by the media” & claimed Greens lawyers pressured her to admit a relationship:

“I had no relationship with that person. I was given legal advice by the Greens lawyer to say I dated this person.”

She added the two had only shared “a kiss on Invasion Day.” Thorpe demanded an apology from Greens leader Adam Bandt, saying she was unfairly vilified.

Following the inquiry and media storm, Thorpe left the Greens in 2023 to sit as an independent senator.

James Nicholson-Lidia Thorpe Husband in Spirit

In mid-2022, Thorpe began dating James Nicholson, a 43-year-old electronics engineer & proud Wurundjeri man from the Kulin nation. The two met at a corroboree in Shepperton, northern Victoria & soon bonded through activism.

Before meeting her, Nicholson had shown little interest in his heritage. Afterward, he embraced activism-attending protests, wearing shirts emblazoned with “Land Back”  & “Voice Treaty Truth.”

Friends have said that Nicholson once kept a baseball bat in his car because “Nazis were after her,” calling Thorpe “a hunted woman” due to threats from extremists.

Nicholson has two children from previous relationships and lives near the sea in south-east Melbourne.

The couple appeared together at the 2022 Sydney Mardi Gras, where Thorpe dressed as Wonder Woman carrying a placard reading “Not My King – Sovereignty Never Ceded,” while Nicholson wore a Superman costume bearing the colours of the Aboriginal flag.

Their social-media posts often include affectionate captions such as “#blakluv”  & “my fave ❤️.” After more than three years together, they remain publicly united.

Public Scrutiny & Resilience

Thorpe’s relationships have repeatedly collided with her political life. She says the scrutiny is rooted in racism and misogyny, insisting her private life is weaponised to silence strong Blak women.

Despite attacks and threats, she continues to live in Victoria, campaigning for Blak Sovereignty, an Indigenous Treaty & reforms based on the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody & the Bringing Them Home Report.

She argues her personal story-from single motherhood to public controversy-drives her fight for justice and equality.

Key Takeaways on Lidia Thorpe Husband & Relationships

• Lidia Thorpe has never confirmed a legal husband.
• Her first partner remains unnamed but fathered her eldest children.
• Later partners include Gavan McFadzean, Dean Martin & James Nicholson.
• The Dean Martin episode triggered a political inquiry that cleared her.
• James Nicholson remains her current partner & active supporter.
• Her relationships reflect the intersection of personal struggle & political activism.
  

Conclusion

While searches for Lidia Thorpe husband continue, her story is not about marriage but resilience and identity. From a teenage mother to an outspoken independent senator, Thorpe’s journey intertwines survival, love & activism.

Amid controversies, she stands firm – guided by heritage, family & the ongoing pursuit of justice for First Nations people.