Federal parliament returned on Monday and changes were afoot from the beginning.
Djab Wurrung, Gunnai and Gunditjamara senator for Victoria, Lidia Thorpe, started the new parliamentary year by cutting ties with the Greens party and moving to the crossbench.
"This country has a strong grassroots black sovereign movement, full of staunch and committed warriors, and I want to represent that movement fully in this Parliament," Senator Thorpe said when making the announcement.