16 Facts About Scott Ludlam

Scott Ludlam left New Zealand with his family aged three and settled in Australia at eight years old.

Scott Ludlam worked as a film-maker, artist and graphic designer.

Scott Ludlam subsequently became involved in anti-nuclear issues in Western Australia, before becoming increasingly involved in the Western Australian Greens.

From 2001 to 2005, Scott Ludlam worked for Greens state parliamentarian Robin Chapple.

At the 2005 state election, Scott Ludlam unsuccessfully contested the seat of Murchison-Eyre, obtaining 4.98 percent of the primary vote.

At the 2007 federal election, Scott Ludlam was elected to the Australian Senate, representing Western Australia.

Scott Ludlam's term commenced on 1 July 2008, and he took his place on 26 August with other incoming Senators.

At the 5 April 2014 re-election, Scott Ludlam safely held his seat in the Senate.

Scott Ludlam has been involved in numerous political campaigns, including opposition to uranium mining at Jabiluka and in Western Australia, nuclear weapons, foreign military bases, and support for Aboriginal land rights, peace and disarmament, recognition of climate change, advocacy of fair trade and equitable globalisation, and energy market reform.

Scott Ludlam created the Bike Blackspot App, a smart phone application that enabled cyclists to lobby for better bike funding.

On 6 May 2015, Scott Ludlam was elected unopposed to serve as Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens, serving alongside Senator Larissa Waters.

On 3 November 2016, Scott Ludlam announced that he would be taking a leave of absence to seek treatment for depression and anxiety.

On 14 July 2017, Scott Ludlam resigned from the Senate after it was brought to his attention by barrister John Cameron that he held dual Australian and New Zealand citizenship, rendering him ineligible to hold elected office in the Federal Parliament under section 44 of the Australian Constitution, becoming the first casualty of the 2017 Australian parliamentary eligibility crisis.

Scott Ludlam stated that he had previously assumed he lost his New Zealand citizenship when he naturalised as an Australian citizen in his mid-teens.

Scott Ludlam's resignation led to a number of MPs and Senators publicly clarifying their citizenship status, and led to fellow Greens senator and deputy leader Larissa Waters's resignation four days later, after discovering she held Canadian citizenship.

On 7 October 2019, Scott Ludlam was arrested at an Extinction Rebellion protest.