Aden Derek Ridgeway (born 18 September 1962) is an Australian former politician. He was a member of the Australian Senate for New South Wales from 1999 to 2005, representing the Australian Democrats. He was the only Indigenous member of the Australian Parliament for the duration of his term.

Early life and education

Aden Derek Ridgeway

Early career

After leaving school in Year 11, he worked as a boilermaker. He then became involved in the public service, engaging in a number of careers, including being a park ranger, and working in several New South Wales government departments.

In May 2006, Ridgeway was selected as the new host of ABC Television's Message Stick program. He was the inaugural chairman of Indigenous Tourism Australia.

In 2007, Ridgeway partnered with Tim Powell of Cox Inall Communications to establish Cox Inall Ridgeway, a social change agency that seeks to disrupt disadvantage in Indigenous communities. The agency is based on the lands of the Eora Nation (Walsh Bay, New South Wales), and Ridgeway is currently a partner in the business.

Ridgeway was Chairman of Bangarra Dance Theatre from 1998 to 2010.

In February 2013, Ridgeway was announced as a spokesperson for the Recognise campaign, a movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution. In May 2013, he was one of a number of Aboriginal leaders to start the "Journey to Recognition", a relay across Australia to raise awareness of the issue.

On 4 March 2020, it was announced that Ridgeway would be a member of the Local and Regional Co-Design Group for the Indigenous voice to government, set up in late 2019.

, Ridgeway is on the board of the Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative, a research and teaching centre for a group of Aboriginal languages in New South Wales, in Nambucca.

References

  • Home page for Cox Inall Ridgeway