South Australia’s Largest Electorate Renamed to Honour Aboriginal Leader Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue

In a milestone for Indigenous representation, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) confirmed on Monday 20 July 2026 that South Australia’s largest federal electorate will be renamed to honour the late Aboriginal leader Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue. The regional seat formerly known as Grey, which covers more than 92 per cent of the state, will now be known as the electorate of O’Donoghue. Dr O’Donoghue, who passed away in February 2024 at the age of 91, was a trailblazing figure in Australian public life. She was the first Aboriginal person to train as a nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and was a key negotiator for the historic 1993 Native Title legislation. The AEC stated that her deep connection to the APY Lands and her lifelong achievements provided "strong reasoning" for the name change, replacing the previous namesake, former South Australian governor Sir George Grey. The O’Donoghue family welcomed the decision in a statement released via the Lowitja O'Donoghue Foundation on Monday morning. They noted that Dr O’Donoghue was born, raised, and worked within the electorate for much of her life. The family highlighted her substantial contributions to the region across health, education, and social justice rights, stating she always considered the area to be her home. While the change faced some opposition from local Liberal MP Tom Venning, who cited the costs of rebranding and constituent preference for the 1903 name, the AEC found arguments in support of the renaming to be more persuasive. The commission described the submissions favouring the change as "well detailed, informative, convincing and ultimately persuasive," acknowledging Dr O’Donoghue’s significant impact on the local community and the nation as a whole.