Nova Peris

Nova Peris
Peris in 2012
9th Chair of the Australian Republic Movement
In office
13 March 2023  10 July 2024
Serving with Craig Foster
Succeeded byEsther Anatolitis
Nathan Hansford
Senator for the Northern Territory
In office
7 September 2013  9 May 2016
Preceded byTrish Crossin
Succeeded byMalarndirri McCarthy
Personal details
Born
Nova Maree Peris

(1971-02-25) 25 February 1971
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
Spouse(s)Sean Kneebone (1995–2001)
Daniel Batman (2002–2010)
Scott Appleton (2012–present)
Sports career
Height171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Medal record
Representing  Australia
Women's Field Hockey
Olympic Games
1996 AtlantaTeam Competition
World Cup
1994 DublinTeam Competition
Champions Trophy
1993 AmstelveenTeam Competition
1995 Mar del PlataTeam Competition
Women's Athletics
Commonwealth Games
1998 Kuala Lumpur200 metres
1998 Kuala Lumpur4x100m relay
Updated on 22 January 2013

Nova Maree Peris OAM (born 25 February 1971) is an Aboriginal Australian athlete and former politician. As part of the Australian women's field hockey (Hockeyroos) team at the 1996 Olympic Games, she was the first Aboriginal Australian to win an Olympic gold medal. She later switched sports to sprinting and went to the 1998 Commonwealth Games and 2000 Olympic Games. She was elected to the Australian Senate at the 2013 federal election, after then Prime Minister Julia Gillard named her as a "captain's pick", installing her as the preselected Labor candidate over incumbent Labor senator Trish Crossin. She retired from the Senate in 2016.